Good night
by A-Karana
Summary: From the very beginning whenever he wishes her a good night there is so much more to his words.
1. Chapter 1

Ok, I haven't written anything in FOREVER, simply because I had no urge to write. Then however I had an idea for a one shot in my head and started to write. Problem is that after page 12 and no end in sight I decided to split the OS up into several chapters.

I think the main reason I wrote this is because I love the couple and I am frustrated with the lack of FFs abou them out there. So if you read this and say "I can do better and I don't agree with your ideas" then please o ahead and write! I can't wait to read some FFs about them. Then I can stop writing again ;)

* * *

**Chapter 1  
**

Arastoo closed the door behind him and stuck the key in the lock from the inside. He let his bag slip off his shoulders and just left it next to the door. It had been an exhausting day at university and at the library. He had stopped by at the gym afterwards to get a workout. He hadn't been at the Jeffersonian in two weeks and slowly it was getting to him. Another long week to go until he would be back and be able to see her again. Of course he knew that it was crazy that he missed her, but his heart was not listening to his head.

"And here I go again," he muttered, frustrated that he just couldn't stop thinking about her. A moment later he heard his cellphone beep and took it out of his jeans pocket.

He saw her name pop up on his cellphone screen when he checked it for the message he knew he had got. As always he felt his heart speed up when he read her name, even though he knew that all of her texts were strictly business. The first time he met her he was surprised. He knew that his direct boss Dr. Brennan was young but he never expected her boss to be equally young. And not only was she much younger than he expected, she was also incredibly pretty. Dr. Camille Saroyan she had introduced herself and he had found himself struggling with the accent for a second. He had felt stupid for faking it because something in the way she had looked at him made him want to tell her the truth. His first encounter with the entomologist Dr. Hodgins taught him though that the accent was needed if he wanted to survive in this lab.

"Hello Arastoo. We need you to come to work this week, not next week. I had to change the rotation. Does that work for you?- Cam" he read and took a deep breath to fight down the disappointment. How he wished she would send him private messages- not that there was a reason why she would do that. She didn't know that he had a crush on her. How could she? For her he was just the strange Muslim intern who prayed five times a day and had faked an accent for a while.

'No problem, Dr. Saroyan. Eight as usual?" he replied and sat down on his sofa, keeping his cellphone close. It was a stupid question, but he wanted to keep talking to her. Nothing like this had ever happened to him before. Sure, he had had a crush on someone and yes, he had been in love. However he had never fallen for a woman so out of his reach- his bosses boss.

She fascinated him. She quipped and had this dark sense of humor on one hand, but he just knew that behind that shell was a really sensitive woman who had an incredibly soft heart. She had taken in the girl she had once raised and hadn't seen in over ten years. From what the others had said that girl was also the reason why Cam never had her own kids. She loved that girl so much. When he first heard the story from one of the other interns he had barely known Cam, but he had been incredibly impressed. Who knew the tough Dr. Saroyan had such a soft heart?

"Sure. See you tomorrow Mr. Vaziri. Good night" came her quick reply. He couldn't help himself when he sent the next text message. His fingers flew over the keyboard and he knew that she wouldn't understand, but he had to tell her. If she asked he would just say he had sent it accidentally to the wrong number because he had been chatting with someone else at the same time.

'What does 'دوستت دارم' mean?' She wrote back a minute later.

He wasn't sure how to reply because his plan suddenly seemed stupid. He wasn't willing to lie to her though so he chose another way.

'Good night,' he wrote back, hoping he would get out of it that way. He could not only make her angry, but he might as well lose his job.

'Good night to you, too' Cam replied once more and he let out a breath he didn't know he had been holding.

* * *

As Cam walked back from the restrooms in direction of her seat at the stadium she found once more that it hadn't been a good idea to seek the bathroom out during the break. Constantly someone bumped into her, she had waited forever in line and she had met one of her former colleagues who she really didn't want to meet- especially not the second she realized her cigarettes were empty.

Finally getting nearer she walked towards the hot dog stand and thought about buying one out of sheer frustration. It weren't the hot dogs though that caught her attention.

"Arastoo, that is a nice surprise," Cam greeted him surprised but happy. She was actually quite surprised herself just _how happy _she felt to see him again. The second she had recognized him she had become all giddy inside. It had nearly been a year. Way too long, even though he had sent her postcards from time to time.

"Dr. Saroyan," he smiled back. "I didn't know you go to baseball games."

"I do. Not regularly, but sometimes," Cam replied and just couldn't wipe the dopey smile of her face. "But what are you doing here? I thought you were in Baghdad," she went on.

"I was. I am back now. It didn't turn out the way I wanted it to," he admitted with a slight shrug of his shoulders and bit in his hot dog.

"What happened?" she wanted to know, her face going from happy to concerned in a split second.

"It's a long story," he sighed. "Now I wished I stayed after Dr. Brennan left," he admitted. _And after you presented your boyfriend_, he thought but of course never said it out loud.

"You know that Dr. Brennan is back. You could come back as well," Cam replied.

"Are you offering me back my intern job?" he grinned and threw the napkin into the nearby trashcan.

"You know I can't do that. That's Dr. Brennan's decision. However I think she might not be opposed to you coming back," she hinted.

"I'm going to switch my master back anyway so I think I will contact her," he agreed, still smiling. _Damn he looks good_, she thought.

"So, tell me about your time in Baghdad," Cam said, because she didn't want this conversation to be over yet. Out of all the interns she had missed him the most- that much she was willing to admit. Even though she had been wary about him in the beginning the more she had learned about him, the more he intrigued her. Behind every comment she had freaked out about had always been an incredible story. While the other interns all had their story it was usually Arastoo who shared the details of his life with her first. He had told her about his believes, he had let the accent slip with her and he had told her how he had shot another human being in self-defense while he had worked as a translator. And no matter how ignorant or silly she acted because of his religion or heritage he was always understanding and never really angry with her. Behind every little quirk there was always a reason and still he never judged anyone at the lab.

"Uhm, break is over. Where are you sitting?" he asked her and pointed to the field. The way they were standing they would get in trouble quickly because other spectators couldn't see anymore.

"Over there, 15th row. You?" she replied and pointed to the far left.

"Other direction," he told her and pointed to the right.

"Hey Cam, are you coming back?" Michelle walked up to them.

"You remember Mr. Vaziri?" Cam asked her daughter and pointed to the former intern.

"Sure, hi," Michelle smiled and gave him a small wave.

"Hello, Michelle," he replied. "You're enjoying the game?" he wanted to know.

"Not really. It's kind of crap," the teen shrugged.

"Michelle," Cam said disapprovingly because of her language.

"I have to agree, though," Arastoo grinned. "It's a crappy game."

"See!" Michelle jumped in immediately.

"You wanna get out of here? There's a diner a few blocks from here," she asked her daughter.

"Oh yes, finally!" the girl exclaimed.

"You wanna come Mr. Vaziri?" she asked him and felt her heart speed up. Since when was the intern making her that nervous?

"Yes, thank you," he laughed and together they walked out of the stadium both with he smiles on their faces.

Once they got out of the diner again it was close to midnight. Cam couldn't remember when she had last had so much fun just sitting somewhere talking. Arastoo's tales from Baghdad had been sad but they had moved on quickly to gossip about the Jeffersonian and tales from there and Michelle had added her usual smart-ass comments. They had bother exchanged stories about funny encounters with Brennan, Hodgins and the other squints as well as Michelle and they added stories about their own teenage time. At one point she had laughed so hard that she had to go to the bathroom and wash the black tear tracks off her face.

With a smile on her face she unlocked the door to her condo and heard her cellphone beep. She placed the keys on the small table and fished her phone out of her bag.

'You got home safely?' she read and her smile widened eve more. He really was a sweet guy.

"Yes, thank you. Hope you, too," she replied.

"Of course. Good night! دوستت دارم!' his next message read. She knew the shape of the letters even if she couldn't read them.

"Good night. Sleep well," she replied and then switched her phone to silent. She had to laugh again when she walked into her bedroom, remembering a story Arastoo had told her about his first encounter with Hodgins. Michelle watched her through her open room door and grinned. There sure was trouble in paradise ahead for the good Paul.

* * *

"I talked to Paul today," Cam said as soon as she sat down at the table. He had arrived at the diner shortly before her and had already ordered them something to drink.

"And how did it go?" Arastoo asked her because he knew that she wanted to end it with her doctor boyfriend that day. They had become closer these last few weeks and had shared several long phone conversations and talks over lunch and dinner.

"I'm not sure he really got what I was saying," she sighed and took a sip of the drink he had ordered for her. Arastoo remained silent and just waited for her to continue. "He insisted that we could spend more time together so that I saw him more as my boyfriend and less as my daughter's doctor," she went on.

"What reason did you give him for ending it?" He asked her then, knowing her well enough by now that there might be more to it.

"That it was not working for me anymore because I still find it weird that I am dating my daughter's ob/gyn," Cam let him know and took another sip.

"But he is not Michelle's doctor anymore," Arastoo pointed out.

"I know," she nodded.

"And Michelle doesn't have a problem with it," he went on.

"She doesn't," she confirmed and wrinkled her forehead as she narrowed her eyes.

"And it wasn't weird enough that you didn't start dating him." He had barely closed his mouth this time when she interrupted him.

"What are you his lawyer?" She snapped angrily.

" No, I am merely pointing out that if that is the only reason you gave him why you don't want to date him anymore that he is understandingly not buying it," Arastoo replied and didn't back down.

"I don't have to give either of you any reason why I don't want to date him anymore. I am just not in love with him, isn't that enough?" She was still angry and it was audible in her voice.

"Yes, but you never said that," he smiled a little as he pointed it out. "And you don't have to tell me anything if you don't want. I am merely here as your friend offering my advice."

"I know, I'm sorry," she sighed.

"Don't be. Just be honest. If you don't want to tell me that's ok," Arastoo pointed out and couldn't help but look her in the eyes. He longed to take her hand, to pull her into his arms and kiss her, but he knew he couldn't do that. He loved her, but if he overstepped boundaries she would eat him alive.

"I broke up with him because I am interested in someone else and I thought it unfair to string him along," she admitted without breaking the eye contact. Arastoo wasn't sure if he was imagining things but the way she looked at him... She was talking about him, wasn't she? Without thinking too much about it he placed his hand on top of hers on the table and gave her fingers a soft squeeze. It could be interpreted simply as a friendly gesture... Or not. Her eyes softened and he could see the vulnerability she usually hid at all costs. Her professionalism and her quips were a good way to hide it and she was damn good at it. However he knew her and he knew that she loved deeply and would do everything for her friends and family. She was empathetic and warm, even if she hated to show it.

"Can we now please change the topic?" she asked then, broke the eye contact and pulled her hand away.

"Of course," he nodded and snapped out of his Cam induced daze. "I was meaning to ask you if I could have next Monday off," he said then after taking another deep breath.

"I don't think that's a problem. You have an appointment because of your thesis?" she asked.

"I have an appointment, but not because of my thesis," Arastoo said and Cam didn't miss the fact that he became slightly nervous and avoided answering her. It was too good an opportunity to let it go by.

"So who are you meeting with?" she grinned teasingly.

"I have to answer otherwise you won't let it go, will you?" he sighed.

"Not a chance," she laughed.

"I am meeting with my publisher about my new book," he finally admitted and steeled himself for the reaction.

"You're a writer?" she asked surprised.

"Kind of," he tried avoiding a real answer again.

"Please tell me you're not writing crime novels like Dr. Brennan," she begged jokingly

"I'm not," he shook his head, but didn't elaborate.

"Arastoo," she grinned and raised her eyebrows. There was no way she was letting him off the hook until she knew everything.

"I'm writing poems," he sighed, suddenly feeling really exposed.

"Really? What kind of poems?," she wasn't done.

"Politics, fear, death, love…" he trailed off.

"I'd love to read some," Cam immediately declared.

"They're in Farsi," he played his last trump.

"Oh… that means Arabic letters, right?"

"Yes," Arastoo confirmed and Cam pouted for a second.

"Can you write my name in Farsi?" she asked suddenly.

"Of course," he agreed. "Do you have a pen?"

She rummaged through her bag for a moment, then pulled out a pen and handed him her unused paper napkin. "Here you go."

كاميل he wrote. And then added: دوستت دارم

„So, that's my name right?" she asked and pointed to the first word.

"Yes, that means Camille," he nodded seemed strangely flustered all of a sudden.

"And this I recognize from the text messages," she went on and pointed to the next two words.

"Yes," he simply nodded, unable to look her in the eyes.

"That means..." she didn't get to finish her sentence before he jumped up and interrupted her.

"I need another drink. You want something as well?" he asked hastily.

"No, thanks, I'm good," she shook her head and looked down at the words. 'Beautiful' she thought and then watched Arastoo as he ordered his drink.

**TBC**

**Last words: I am pretty sure about the Arabic script because I speak Arabic. I am working without a beta though so I know there are mistakes in there. Sorry for that.**


	2. Chapter 2

**So, I haven't forgotten about this story, I just didn't have the time to write. Hopefully the next chapter will be up quicker.**

* * *

**Chapter 2**

"Hey, Arastoo," Cam greeted him, surprised to see him. So far she had never considered meeting him at a bar and now they did by chance.

"Cam, that is a surprise," he smiled when he saw her.

"I never expected to find you in a bar," she told him teasingly and pointed to the glass he held.

"Just tonic water. You gonna join me?" He asked her and silently prayed that she would say yes.

"Sure, thank you. What a day, huh?" She continued with the small talk but sat down on a chair next to him.

"I hate funerals," he admitted and turned serious as he swirled his water in the glass, making the ice cubes click against the glass.

"Me,too. But he deserved an honorable burial," Cam pointed out. The whole team had attended the funeral of the homeless 9/11 hero to honor what he had done.

"Yes, he did. He was a hero," Arastoo nodded, still deep in thought.

"It's a good thing you insisted on investigating those remains, Arastoo," she added and the use of his first name made him look at her again.

"I couldn't stand the thought that just because he was homeless he was gonna be forgotten once more. We should help the helpless and not shove them away or push them back."

"You have a big heart," Cam smiled at him and gave his arm a soft squeeze. He was such a sweet guy and once more he stood out to her amongst all the interns- and the men in her life.

"So do you," he replied and the look he have her made her heart speed up. Once more she wondered what was going on with her. She had merely ended it with her boyfriend after all and here she was swooning because of one look from one of the interns. Ok, maybe he had something to do with the fact that she had ended it with her boyfriend, but he didn't need to know that.

"Did you already find another idea for a topic on which you can publish?" Cam asked him nervously, hoping to change the topic back to something save.

"No, I haven't," he replied to her question but placed his hand over hers on his arm when she wanted to pull it back. The look in his eyes told her that he was not backing down this time.

"Arastoo," she said in a small voice and tried once more to pull her hand back, this time with more strength. By softly gliding his fingers over the back of her hand he stopped her. It was like all the fight was draining out of her because of this simple contact.

"Can we please stop pretending that this isn't happening?" he asked her just as quietly and looked her in the eyes once more while he still let his fingers glide against her skin.

"I think we don't have another choice now," she admitted and looked down when he laced his fingers with hers. "But what exactly are we doing?" she asked him, enjoying the warmth his fingers created. Without saying anything he slowly leaned towards her and gave her the opportunity to pull away. When she didn't he kissed her softly on the lips. The kiss was barely more than a butterfly like touch, but when he wanted to pull back she kept him close by cupping his cheek.

"No matter what it is- I like it," he smiled at her when he broke the kiss.

"Me, too," she admitted and earned herself another tender kiss. For a moment there she let herself get lost in it and just feel. She had dreamed about this for a while now but the reality of kissing him was even better. Then however she started thinking and all kinds of problems started popping up in her brain: the reaction of the people at the lab, the different religions, the age difference, Paul, Michelle… She broke the kiss and had panic written all over her face. However before she could say anything he gently shushed her and pulled her into his arms.

"Please don't overthink this. I've wanted this for a while now and all I am asking for is a chance. Everything will be alright, ok?" he told her as he held her in his arms.

"Nobody at the lab can know, Arastoo," she insisted as she pulled back.

"Ok. Nobody has to know," he agreed. "I promise," he added when she still looked doubtful.

"You know that this is all kinds of wrong?" she pointed out then, wanting him to understand that this was not an average boy meets girl kind of situation.

"I can't find anything wrong with it," he disagreed with her and when he kissed her this time she decided to let him win for once.

However when they broke the kiss she did the only thing that would contain some kind of sanity. "I should go," she whispered against his lips.

"Will you go out with me this weekend?" he asked, needing all of his courage.

"Of course," she replied with a peck and then stood up, grabbed her bag and fled the bar before they would end up going home together and make this even more complicated. Once she sat in her car though she felt like she had forgotten something. She pulled out her cellphone and sent him a text message. "I'm looking forward to this weekend. Good night Arastoo."

She didn't have to wait for more than a few seconds before she received the reply. ! دوستت دارم".

* * *

Arastoo had been kind of nervous when he went to work the next day. It was his turn at the Jeffersonian once again and although he knew that Cam didn't want anybody to know and imagined that she would be very professional, he was still curious how she would act towards him.

She greeted him no different than any other day and even when he asked her about a mix up with his hours she never even blinked. For a second he wondered if he had imagined the whole kissing thing.

"I have a record of my hours right here," he pointed out as they walked into the direction of her office.

"You keep very complete records Mr. Vaziri," she complimented but the use of his last name let there be no doubt at all that there wouldn't even be a hint of private conversation.

"It's not as if I make a lot of money so every little bit helps," he replied.

"Well, I check my records and call payroll," she said and he decided to test her now that they were alone in her office.

"As soon as you can I'd appreciate it. According to my calculations I'm owed over $200 and I have special dinner plans," he pointed out, teasing her.

"Well, a $200 dinner must be very special," she just replied and looked him in the eyes for a second, so he knew she got the hint. Still she didn't change her tone of voice.

"Yeah, I hope so."

"Well, I just need you to sign these forms," Cam said and handed him some papers just as Angela walked into the office.

"Hey Cam, I got another text from your doctor boyfriend," the artist announced and Arastoo flinched internally and gripped the forms just a bit harder. Hadn't she said that she had told the guy it was over?

"Oh god, I'm sorry. And he's not my boyfriend," Cam apologized to Angela and glanced at him for a split second.

"Well, sounds like he thinks he is. He wants me to tell you to call," Angela insisted.

"I told him it was over. I can't date my daughter's gynecologist. Every time we go out, I can't help thinking," she started gesturing with her hands and this time both him and Angela flinched visibly.

" It's ok, it's ok. I get it," Angela stopped her.

"Yeah, we all do," he couldn't keep from commenting this time, feeling really uncomfortable at the thought that the doctor still saw her as his girlfriend.

"I told him that it was over, that I'm seeing someone else," Cam insisted and sounded somewhat desperate at this point. He knew he had to get out of there otherwise she would probably spill their secret while trying to convince him and Angela that she wasn't seeing Paul anymore. Once Cam started babbling, what happened rarely, all bets were off.

"Is there anything more I need to sign?" he asked and handed her the papers back.

"Uh, no that is good, thanks," she said, still not calm and he left as fast as he could without running.

* * *

When Cam came home that night the first thing she did was grab the phone and dial Arastoo's number.

"That was fast. I hope you won't get a speeding ticket," he joked when he picked up his phone, knowing it was her. They had left around the same time, but she lived farther away from the Institute than he did.

"I don't think so," she laughed nervously and took a deep breath before she went on. "I just wanted to apologize for the whole Paul disaster and the book thing. I really told him it was over and I wasn't thinking when I brought you the book. I didn't think that Hodgins would care whatever book I handed to you and it didn't cross my mind that you don't want to talk about it at the lab and," she was rambling and she knew it, but she couldn't help herself.

"Cam, it's ok, I understand," he chuckled. "It's no big deal,"

"So we're still on for dinner?" she asked hopefully.

"Of course, why wouldn't we be?" he laughed. "Well, ok, maybe if I don't get my money then I might start thinking about it," he teased her then.

"I already called payroll and confirmed your records," she said as she sank down on her sofa, relieved that the first chaotic day at the lab hadn't scared him off. "So where are you gonna take me?" she asked him.

"It's a surprise," was his only answer.

"Come on Arastoo, throw me a bone here," she begged.

"I don't think Dr. Brennan would approve if I threw bones around at the lab," he dead panned and made her laugh. "So if you want me to keep my job I suggest you are patient and just wait and see where I'll take you."

"Just one hint," she insisted, still giggling at the image of Brennan's shocked face if Arastoo would throw bones around.

"Ok," he sighed and she was surprised that he gave in so fast. "But then no more questions."

"I promise," she vowed.

"The restaurant I am going to take you to… is kind of expensive," he said then and she could hear the laughter in his voice.

"That wasn't fair," she complained but joined his laughter. "You're mean," she pouted.

"I'm going to see you tomorrow, Dr. Saroyan. Dooset daram," Arastoo told her and her heart skipped a beat when she heard him talking in Farsi.

"Good night to you, too," she replied, knowing that it must be the expression he had sent her via text several times.

**TBC**


	3. Chapter 3

**Chapter 3**

The next day Cam should be working, but instead she found herself day dreaming while flipping through Arastoo's poem book. Just the script in itself was beautiful and she wished she understood what he was writing about. But all she knew was the expression for 'Good night' and her own na… wasn't that her name right there? She stopped the flipping and stared at the page. He had written down her name for her a few weeks ago and now here it was, on top of one of his poems. Coincidence? She didn't think so. Her heart sped up and she was becoming more and more nervous. What should she do now? Pretend she didn't see it? Try and translate the poem with the help of some online translator? That rarely worked. Then she knew what she wanted: She wanted confirmation that this was really her name, that he had really written a poem with her in mind. And then she wanted to know the poem, know how it sounded and what it said. While still staring at her own name in the book she picked up her cellphone, then placed the book on her desk. She sent him a message saying that she needed to talk to him and that he should stop by her office when he had the time. Then she took the book in her hands again and continued dreaming.

* * *

Arastoo was surprised when he got her message because usually she would just call him or even come to him and the others if she wanted to talk about something work related. So he excused himself from Hodgins right away without letting him finish his sentence and went to her office.

She was standing by her desk, his book in hands when he walked in and he couldn't help but notice that her white blouse was new- or at least he had never seen it before. And she looked as beautiful as always just a bit more dreamy.

"I got your text Dr. Saroyan, do you need something?" he asked as curious as he felt when he walked into her office and put his hands in the pockets of his lab coat to hide his nervous fidgeting.

"Remember when you wrote my name out in Farsi?" she asked and looked at him, with an expression that didn't help him figuring out what was going on.

"Yes," he simply answered, now even more puzzled than before about the reason of her calling him to her. Did she really want to talk about his book here? Where was the relation to work? He knew her well enough to know that she absolutely didn't want any part of this- whatever this was- out in the lab. She was the boss and she needed her boss persona intact in order to work the way she was used to. Being involved with an intern would put a stain on her otherwise squeaky clean reputation. She hadn't even wanted to talk about Paul or even Michelle, except for when there were problems and it couldn't be helped. So what was she doing?

„This is it, right here, isn't it?" she asked and pointed to the word in the book.

"Yes," he confirmed once more and stared at her when a giddy smile could be seen on her face for just a second before she fought it and hid it.

"You wrote a poem to me?" she asked him and her expression was caught somewhere between flustered and disbelieving. He still couldn't figure out where she was going with this. She knew that he had feelings for her, so what was this about?

"You're certain you wanna discuss this here?" he asked and glanced at her open door. She followed his eyes and seemed torn.

"Just…." she said then, „would you say it for me?", she finally requested. He looked at her and tried to decide what to do. This certainly wasn't the place for reciting poetry and especially not a love poem you wrote for your boss. Then she smiled, however, and he forgot about where they were and the people around them. Suddenly he was back in the moment when he had been thinking about her and expressed his feelings with this poem. He walked further into the room and started reciting without breaking eye contact with her. It was probably the most intimate thing he had ever done.

"I… didn't understand a word of that," she told him shyly once he was done, but smiled in way that contradicted her words.

"I think you did," he replied and suddenly heard a sound behind him. He whirled around and saw Hodgins looking at them with a wide smile on his face.

"So… so far I have isolated blood from four different people," Cam tried to throw him off and started typing something on her computer. "None of it is the victim's blood, so I…" she trailed off when she realized that Hodgins didn't buy her act and was still grinning widely.

"I'll come back later," he said and hurried out of her office. Arastoo looked at Cam and the giddy romance from just a few seconds ago was gone. She had panic written all over her face.

"No, Dr. Hodgins!" she said and then ran after him as fast as her high heels allowed.

Arastoo remained in her office, simply because he couldn't move. He knew Cam and he knew how much this would freak her out- probably enough to end t before it even really began. For now there was nothing he could do. He just wanted to get back to work when Cam walked back into her office, her shoulders hanging. She looked sad and upset and all he wanted to do was take her into his arms.

"What did he say?" he asked her.

"Nothing. I couldn't talk to him because Brennan came," she sighed and plopped down onto her office chair.

"Look, maybe," he wanted to start, but she stopped him right away.

"Not now, ok? We really shouldn't be talking about any of this in here anymore. Maybe this really isn't a good idea," she told him sadly.

"Let's talk about it later, ok? We'll meet at eight outside by the fountain, just like we planned," he replied and this time he didn't wait for a reply but left before she could say more.

Cam turned back to her computer as soon as Arastoo was gone but after a moment of looking at the screen without really seeing anything she had to admit defeat once more. What was she doing, she asked herself. Why had she asked Arastoo to recite poetry for her at work? What was it about him that made her lose her head so completely. She prided herself in being professional at all times, but recently one look of the Iranian intern was enough to set butterflies free in her stomach and make her act like a teenager. She sighed deeply, leaned back in her chair and covered her face with her hands. She should end this immediately, she knew. But who was she trying to fool? There was no way she had the strength to do it. One look into his beautiful down eyes or a single touch and she would rather fly in his arms in front of the whole Jeffersonian than end anything. „Crazy," she muttered to herself when she remembered how she had begged him to say his poem for her in her office. However she had to smile again and the giddy feeling was back when she remembered him reciting her poem. There was no doubt about it. Somewhere between him losing his accent and reciting his poem she had become head over heels for one Arastoo Vaziri, boss or not. With this realization she turned back to her work.

* * *

When Arastoo arrived in the garden of the Jeffersonian, where no one ever went at his time, Cam was already there, sitting at the edge of the pond. When he offered her his hand to help her up she hesitated, but then took it which he took as a good sign.

"I talked to Hodgins. I'm sure he'll keep our secret," he assured her and kept her hand in his as they started walking along the pond.

"Why? What did you say to him?" she wanted to know curiously.

"Do you really want to talk about Hodgins now?" he asked her, looked her deep in the eyes and stopped walking. She didn't hesitate when he took her in his arms and kissed her softly right there in the garden of the Jeffersonian. They both got lost in the kiss and while he wrapped his arms around her waist, her fingers glided into his hair and caressed his cheek. It was the first time that he was able to kiss her like this and it cost him a lot of willpower to keep it slow and romantic and keep his hands where they were.

"We should get out of here, I'm hungry," she smiled once she broke the kiss after what was probably an eternity, but still wasn't long enough. He just kept her hand in his and laughed softly when she fought for balance once they started moving again.

"You're so famished that you can't even walk straight or might it be the kiss?" he teased her with a wink.

"More the heels, Mr. Confidence," she just laughed.

"Then let's go before you break your ankle," Arastoo replied and they were off to their dinner- hopefully without being seen.

* * *

Halfway through their dinner Cam's phone rang and she groaned when she saw Booth's number.

"What?" Arastoo wanted to know. Cam just showed him the screen before she picked up.

"Seeley?" she asked and the tone of her voice made it clear that she was annoyed. "Uhuh… uhuh… you're what? I hope the FBI will pay for the damage once this is done," she said then. "Uhuh… ok, see you tomorrow."

"What's going on?" Arastoo wanted to know when she shook her head after hanging up the phone.

"Brennan and Booth decided to take apart the apartment where the murder presumably took place. 25 FBI techs along with Hodgins and Brennan are working on it as we speak. They even stripped the floors down to the concrete," Cam replied.

"And that surprises you?" he laughed.

"I should probably be surprised that they haven't torn the house down," she laughed with him.

"It didn't sound like they are done yet," he teased her.

"Oh, don't even joke about it," she laughed again and slapped his arm softly which caused him to catch her hand with his and lace his fingers through hers.

"This is going well, don't you think?" Arastoo asked her after a moment of just looking at each other while they were still smiling. He went on though before she could answer. "I was worried that you would cancel our date after Hodgins busted us."

"I thought about it. Actually I thought more about how to cancel this date than about what I should wear," she admitted.

"Why didn't you?" he asked without letting go of her hand.

"I don't know I just couldn't…. but when Hodgins walked in.. the thought that he knows something makes me very uncomfortable and just thinking about everyone talking about how the boss is sleeping with the intern freaks me out _so much_," she rambled. Arastoo looked at her for a moment with a small smile before he leaned over the table. His face was so close to her ear that she could feel his breath against her skin.

"Just kissing the intern so far… boss," he whispered teasingly. He pecked her lips softly when he pulled back and then resumed his dinner like he hadn't done anything. Cam actually had to shake her head to get rid of the daze he had put her in. When had this crazy devout Iranian Intern had become so damn sexy?

* * *

"When did you write that poem?" Cam asked Arastoo when they walked through a park nearby the restaurant after they had finished their dinner. There had been a tense moment when Arastoo had insisted on paying and Cam hadn't wanted him to, because she knew just how expensive the restaurant was. He had insisted however and they had agreed that she would pay for the next one. That had earned her another kiss- unbeknownst to her not for the good idea though, but for the fact that there would be another dinner.

"Which one?" he wanted to know and wrapped his arm around her shoulders pulling her closer.

"You know which one," Cam rolled her eyes at him, but leaned into him more.

He sighed dramatically before he answered."You remember the day when I thought my first article would get published and then it didn't because of Selena Gomez?" Arastoo asked and pulled her down on a bench.

"I don't remember Selena Gomez, but I remember you being pretty down," she replied and tried to remember that day exactly, but couldn't get the details right.

"That day I was upstairs staring down at the lab and you walked up to me and then gave me a pep talk about articles and being published. Before you left you told me to go watch some TV and you touched my hand. I had a note pad because I was thinking about finding a new topic for an article, but when I wanted to write the one down that had been in my head the second before you touched me that poem is what came out," he recounted the tale how the love poem came to be.

"That was over a year ago," she barely whispered, because the enormity of his feelings just really hit her then.

"Yes," he nodded and placed a kiss on her temple.

"Could you translate the poem for me?" Cam requested.

"I don't know," he replied and suddenly felt flustered. It was one thing to write about his feelings in Farsi, but another one to say the words in English to the woman he wrote the poem for.

"Please," she begged and kissed him.

"Promise you won't freak out?" he worried.

"I promise," she vowed.

"I think it could be translated as: I worship love,not as in writings. My feeling, gave up my only belief, annihilated my existence, and her heartbeats my essence. With you, I am in paradise from now on. Right here, right now, with you my sweetheart.*" He looked down to his shoes when he was done. A second later he felt a finger under his chin as she pushed his head up so she could look into his eyes. He saw then that hers were brimming with unshed tears.

"That is so beautiful. Thank you," she told him, her voice cracking slightly. They lost themselves in another kiss and just pulled back when they heard someone coming. They used the time until the other couple was gone to catch their breath.

"Do you think Hodgins will keep our secret?" Cam asked him then, all the talk about his poem bringing that back.

"Yes," Arastoo said without hesitating.

"From Angela?" she asked skeptically.

"No," he admitted. "I'd be surprised if she didn't already know."

"You do think Angela can keep from telling Brennan?" she went on with her questioning.

"No, not for long," Arastoo said.

Cam sighed with a smile on her face. "Ah, man you need to learn how to lie."

"I tell you what though: It stops with Brennan," he tried to calm her before she would freak out for real this time.

"You don't think she'll tell Booth?" she still wasn't satisfied.

"Only if he asks," Arastoo shrugged.

"Oh god!" she exclaimed and hid her face in her hands.

"And what are the chances he asks that question?" he asked her this time but that didn't seem to help. "I'm sorry, I know you wanna keep this a secret," he apologized.

"Oh Arastoo, I don't wanna keep this a secret at all," she surprised him by saying.

"Except from all the other interns?" he grinned knowingly.

"Definitely," she confirmed smiling.

"And everyone who works at the Jeffersonian," he knew.

"Damn straight," she laughed.

"You want me to quit?" he asked her out of the blue and she really couldn't believe that he would offer something this huge just like that.

"And live with that guilt? Oh No, thanks," she declined. She didn't even need to think about it.

"So to sum it up you wanna tell everyone but you don't want anyone to know," Arastoo grinned.

"Crazy, right?" Cam had to laugh as well.

"No, that's poetic," he let her know and then kissed her again right there on that park bench at a public park.

**TBC**

* Translation from the Boneswiki


	4. Chapter 4

**I didn't want to say anything last chapter but I guess I am back. The chapters are getting easier to write, just the research takes some time because I still want it to fit with the show. I hope you're still reading and I am trying not to make too many mistakes because nothing of this is betaed.**

**It is difficult however to keep Arastoo in character, becuse we see so little of him that he is kind of hard to write.**

**I can't wait for the show to come back in March and I hope the rastoo and Cam storylines will go the way I want them to ;)**

**Chapter 4**

Once they broke the kiss Arastoo pulled Cam even closer and she rested her cheek against his shoulder. Softly he stroked his fingers over her arm.

"It's getting cold," he noticed and placed a kiss on her hair.

"Mmmh," Cam agreed without saying much. It was cold, but she was way too comfortable to move.

"You're tired?" he asked her with a small smile.

"Mmmh," she made again.

"I should get you home."

"Nooo." That got a real reaction from her.

"Come on," Arastoo laughed, but pulled her closer anyway. When she looked up at him with a small pout on her face he kissed her again but then untangled from her and got up, holding out his hand.

With a sigh Cam took his hand and stood up. "Back to reality, I guess."

"I did not say that," Arastoo laughed again and together they made their way to his car.

* * *

Once the reached Cam's place and Arastoo had stopped the car Cam turned towards him. There had been a tense silence during their ride home. It was then when Cam remembered why she hated first dates.

"You wanna come up?" she asked him after taking a deep breath for confidence.

"Want to? Yes," he said slowly. "But this is really important to me and I think we should take it slow," he went on uncomfortably.

"I was just offering a cup of coffee," Cam joked when she realized that he was just as nervous as she was.

"Of course, what else," Arastoo replied laughingly and kissed her again. Her fingers tangled in his hair and she was once again disappointed when he broke the kiss.

"Dooset daram," he told her while he looked her deep in the eyes.

"Good night," she replied, pecked his lips one more time and got out of the car. She turned around once more and gave him a small wave before she disappeared into her building.

* * *

A day later Cam was just taking her lunch break when her cellphone rang. One look at the screen and she was glad that she was alone in the room because she couldn't stop the smile from spreading on her face.

"Hello Mr. Vaziri," she greeted him.

"Hello Dr. Saroyan," he replied cheekily. "Can you talk?"

"Yes, I'm alone in my office and just taking a break," she let him know and took a sip of her water.

"You've got another case?" he asked curiously.

"Yes, we got a guy here with human remains glued to his back. He is some kind of artist and Angela kissed him," Cam reported.

"The guy or the remains?"

"The guy of cause," Cam laughed and leaned back in her chair.

"Why would she do that?" Arastoo was confused.

"I really don't know. I just know that the guy was completely doped up, so who knows what was going on," she shrugged.

"He's a junkie?"

"No, Mr. Fisher and Hodgins wanted to calm him and gave him Fisher's meds. Officially though, I never said that because for all I know they gave him a cup of chamomile tea," she let him know.

"Oh, Mr. Fisher is back" Arastoo laughed because he knew just how much the guy irritated Cam.

"You sound happy saying that. Or maybe you're just being mean," she huffed.

"Me? Never. But can I take this as an indication that I am your favorite intern?" Arastoo flirted.

"Not anymore if you keep reveling in the misery your colleague causes me."

"Oh come on. How can I make it up to you?" he asked.

"The dinner last night was pretty good," she smiled.

"We could repeat that. But how about I cook this time?"

"Sounds great. Are you going to cook an Iranian dish?"

"If you want me to," he said.

"I'd love that," Cam got excited.

"Tonight?" Arastoo asked.

"I can't tonight. New case," she sighed and he knew just how much paperwork new case always meant for her.

"How about you just give me a call sometime this week when you have the time for dinner? I just have to study but am free otherwise."

"Speaking of calls: Was there a reason why you called?" she asked him.

"Yes," he said and paused, "I wanted to hear your voice." Cam was smiling brightly again and for a few seconds there was silence on both sides.

"I'm glad you called, Arastoo. And I will call you as soon as I know when I have an evening off, ok?" she said gently.

"Great, talk to you then," he said softly.

"Probably even before then," she smiled.

"Anytime. Bye Cam," he said and then they both hung up.

"Dr. Saroyan?" she was brought back to reality a second later when Fisher walked into her office.

"What?" she asked and turned around with an eye roll. She really liked Arastoo so much better.

* * *

Nearly a week later Cam opened her door to find Arastoo in front of it. She had known that he would come over for the first time because he finally wanted to cook for her. It had taken her forever to get ready because she had trouble deciding on what to wear. It was one thing to dress up for a fancy dinner date at a restaurant but she wasn't sure what to wear now that he would cook at her place. She had finally settled on some fitting dark blue jeans and a sparkly and a fancy mauve top. Also she had put on her heels which she usually didn't wear inside her apartment. However she felt stupid running around in her socks.

"Hi," she smiled when she saw him and noticed to her biggest relief that he had gone with jeans as well and had added a dark blue dress shirt.

"Hi," he smiled back and was glad when she wrapped her arms around his neck and kissed him softly. "I missed you," he told her when they pulled apart and she closed the door to her apartment.

"I'm sorry it took me so long to find the time, but we got a new case right after the last" she explained. She led the way into the kitchen and pulled him along by his hand while he carried the several shopping bags he had brought and took his time to look around her apartment. It was very elegant- just like her and very modern. White dominated every room and the orchids she had everywhere were impressive.

"You don't need to be sorry, I'm just happy we're here now," Arastoo replied and pulled her close for another kiss. "What case?"

"Dead teenager, 14 years old. And Angela's psychic believes his ghost is watching us work. She already showed up at the lab twice and I had to throw her out. Strange thing is that everyone seems to believe to some extend that she is right because I even caught Brennan talking to the remains," she informed him.

"You're always talking to the remains," Arastoo knew.

"I'm not…" she started to protest but then stopped because she knew he was right. "… usually telling the remains to pass on messages to my mom," she admitted then.

"I need a pan, some oil and a knife," Arastoo said after looking around her spotlessly clean kitchen. "And what message did you ask him to pass on?" he then changed the topic back to her comment.

"Just that I am fine and happy and that she shouldn't worry," she replied distractedly while she handed him a pan and then went on to get the oil. She stopped dead in her tracks with the door handle in hand. "I can't believe I just told you that." Arastoo just smiled, put the pan down and wrapped his arms around her waist from behind.

"I think it's sexy that you care so much for family," he said and kissed her cheek.

"Oohoho," she laughed out loud, "just my mother. Don't get me started on the rest."

"Tell me about them," he asked, placed another kiss on her cheek and then went back cooking.

"Can't we talk about something else? Did you hear me talking about the medium at the lab?" she tried to distract him and handed him the oil, then a knife.

"You're not in contact with your family?" he didn't let it go.

"I wish that was true," she sighed and started to unpack the bags of groceries he had brought.

"You don't mean that," he knew and told her so with a smile. She froze for a second and wondered when he had learned to read her so well.

"No, I don't… at least not always. But they are… exhausting," she admitted. "What do you want me to do?" she asked then and pointed to the groceries.

"Just start cutting the vegetables," he shrugged. "And just how many are there in your family?" he smiled, signaling that he wasn't dropping the topic.

"There's my father, my brother Jackson and my sisters Felicia and Lila. And then there are about twelve uncles and aunts and too many cousins to count," Cam let him know. "And everybody is constantly in each other's business."

"So a completely normal family," Arastoo nodded.

"You're only saying that because you don't know them. Normal has nothing to do with my family."

"I have only one brother, but my mother and father both have large families," he let her know.

"Your brother also here in the US?" she asked and handed him the first few vegetables which he put in the pan together with some oil.

"No, he is still in Iran," he said." Your brothers and sisters are older or younger?"

"Lila is the eldest, then comes Jackson, then me and Felicia is the youngest," she replied. "And the craziest," she added quietly.

"You're close?"

"Not really. I'm kind of the odd one out. The others are pretty close though. I mean, they are always trying to pull me in, but it just drives me crazy to be around them for more than a few minutes."

"Could you pass me the garlic please," he asked her.

"Sure, here. You're close with your folks?" she wanted to know.

"With my brother, yes. Not so much with my parents. We had some rough times when I was younger," he admitted. "So now we just have to add the chicken and then wait," Arastoo finally said, put the chicken in the pan and covered it. "We'll cook the rice later once the chicken is done."

"Huh, that was easy," Cam said surprised. "You want to drink something? I have some great red wine here." Cam walked up to him while she spoke and wrapped her arms around his waist.

"Just some water is fine. No alcohol for me, remember?" he smiled and pulled her closer still.

"Sorry, I forgot. It's just... I haven't seen you praying in a while," she said and wrinkled her forehead. It hadn't occurred to her before, but it was true. Beside his accent which had been fake- his regular praying had been a huge issue when he had started working at the Jeffersonian. However since he had let the accent slip she hadn't seen him pray again.

"I adjusted my prayer times slightly so I wouldn't have to run off all the time. Is that a problem?" he asked.

"What you praying? Why would it be?" she was confused.

"No, I mean that I am devout. That hasn't changed, Cam," he informed her and looked scared for second.

"It's not a problem but now that you brought it up…"

"Actually you brought it up," he corrected her with a smile.

"Ok, I brought it up, but… will there be any… consequences for us because of your belief?" she asked very hesitantly because she wasn't sure how to say it.

"Like?" he didn't get what she was trying to say.

"Like, uhm…" she stuttered and blushed, "That we can't... I mean was that why you didn't come up the other night?" she tried getting her point across without spelling it out.

"You think I didn't sleep with you the other night because of my religious belief," he spelled it out and didn't even blush in the slightest.

"No," she hurried to say, but the crumbled under his look. "Yes," she admitted.

"My religion had nothing to do with it," he smiled. "I didn't lie to you when I said that this here between us is very important to me and I don't want to hurry anything," he insisted. He leaned down to her then and whispered the next words right into her ear. "I'm no virgin and I really want to make love to you… when the time is right." Before she could respond to it or get over feeling his confession had evoked in her he pressed his lips to hers and kissed her in a way that left very little doubt that he wasn't a virgin and that he wanted her very much.

* * *

Later that night after dinner they were lying on her couch making out like teens. It had started with the cup of coffee she had offered once again and some kisses that got more and more passionate. The first few buttons on his shirt were already open while hers was pushed up and their hands were roaming. Hey both groaned out loud when her phone rang.

"I have to get this. It could be Michelle," she said apologetically and softly pushed him off of her so she could get up. "Saroyan", she answered the phone then slightly breathless. "Seeley," she sighed when she heard who it was. He sat back down on the couch and leaned into Arastoo. "Right now? Is that necessary?" she asked and Arastoo already knew that she had to leave because of a case. "Ok, fine. Text me the address," she finally agreed to go wherever they needed her. Cam ended the call and then turned to Arastoo. "I'm so sorry but they found a body and," he interrupted her knowing what she would say.

"and you have to go, I know that."

"You aren't mad?" she wondered.

"Why would I be mad? It's your job," he shrugged.

"Thank you," she smiled and kissed him softly. "I'm really sorry our evening ends like this."

"I hope there'll be a next time," he was still not upset and just kissed her again. "You want me to clean up the kitchen?" he asked.

"I'm afraid I don't have time for that. I really have to leave," she let her forehead rest against his chest for a second.

"Ok, then I leave now and you text me when you get to the scene otherwise I'll worry," he decided and got up but kept her in his arms.

"Ok, I can do that," she gave him a small smile. "I'm really.." she started but was stopped by his lips on hers.

"I know. Me too. Drive save," Arastoo said and together they walked to her door. Cam grabbed her bag and keys on the way out.

"Good night," she said once they reached her car and he held the door open for her.

"Don't forget to text me! Dooset daram," he replied and kissed her languidly once more before they both drove off and dreamed of the next date.

**TBC**


	5. Chapter 5

**Thank you so much that you're still reading this!**

**Chapter 5**

„Sounds like it looked pretty cool," Arastoo commented on the work related story Cam had just told him during dinner. It had been another four days without seeing each other and in the end he had volunteered to cook dinner once again just so he could see her. With Cam working late he had cooked everything at his place and had brought it over. While she had changed he had set the table. It had been strange rummaging around her kitchen for the second time, but this time she hadn't even been in the room. However once she had changed into more casual clothes and they had sat down and started talking the weirdness had been lost.

„It was, in a creepy way. The crystals raining down was awesome, but the fact that human remains in a water tank were shaken.." she shook her head. She took another sip of her tonic and suddenly started laughing.

„What?" he laughed with her without knowing what she was laughing about.

„Just remembering Buck and Wanda and their dancing," she giggled.

„Buck and Wanda?" he asked, still not knowing what she was talking about.

„Brennan and Booth are undercover again and once upon a blue moon they invented Buck and Wanda. So for this case they brought them back, meaning that Booth dresses like a pimp and Brennan tries to talk like my hairdresser…" she giggled.

„… but totally fails," he finished her sentence.

„Exactly," Cam nodded. „So this time they are trying ballroom dancing and Booth is still convinced he knows what to do and Brennan is just awkward. It's hilarious." She took the last bite of her plate and put her fork down. „And this was delicious," she pointed to her empty plate.

„Thank you," he smiled. „Do you know how to dance?" he wanted to know then.

„Me? I can waltz that's pretty much it," she admitted. „Do you waltz in Iran?"

„Of course. Well, at least my mother insisted that we did. I think she watched too many American movies," Arastoo replied with a small smile and seemed to remember these times.

„And you hated it, of course," Cam grinned and started clearing the table.

„Of course," he nodded and stood up as well, „maybe because I never had the right girl to dance with," he added, took the plates from her hands and put them back down on the table. Then he took her in his arms and started to waltz very slowly through the room. At first they both laughed but when their eyes met the dance got slower and slower until they barely moved. Cam was the first to give in and leaned up to kiss him. „I missed you," he mumbled against her lips and pulled her even closer to him. Their dance came to a halt but their embrace didn't. Cam couldn't help but moan when he snuck his hand underneath her shirt and stroked over the skin of her back.

„Maybe we should clean up first before we continue this," Cam grinned once they broke the kiss simply because they needed oxygen.

„Alright," Arastoo nodded and kissed her again before he finally let her go. „Hey, why was Michael Vincent with you when I called earlier?" he asked then switching back to a safer topic.

„Because Angela thinks about quitting her job and wanted her kid around and I ended up watching him because she had to work and I had no dead body on my table," Cam sighed.

„Don't even try to pretend that you don't like that kid," he laughed and placed a kiss in her cheek.

„Of course I like him, but I am not really comfortable having him around at the lab," she replied and placed their plates in the dishwasher. „Also I know who his father is and so I always fear something will blow up," she grinned.

„Why is Angela thinking about quitting?" he asked but smiled back at her knowingly.

„Something about the ugliness of our work and something with art… I couldn't really follow but Hodgins has a plan because he doesn't want her to quit," she tried to explain.

„Hodgins, huh?" Arastoo asked and wrinkled his forehead.

„What?" she asked and laughed when she saw his look.

„What's his plan this time?"

„I cut Angela's hours and told her so today," she replied and let him pull her close again.

„And she saw right through it?" he laughed, knowing the look in Cam's eyes.

„Of course. She knew right away it was Hodgins' idea but went along with it. And I get to keep my forensic artist," she giggled.

„Well done, boss," Arastoo laughed and then kissed her again.

„Thank you, Mr. Vaziri," Cam teased him but then couldn't talk anymore because his kiss got more passionate and before she knew it she was pressed up against the kitchen counter, his arms wrapped around her waist. She had been dreaming about this since their last encounter in the couch and really hoped there wouldn't be any more interruptions. So Cam pulled him as close as she could and wrapped her legs around his waist once he lifted her onto the counter. Neither did she stop him when he put his hands underneath her shirt this time, but simply enjoyed his touch and the growing arousal. She needed to feel him as well and so she started to unbutton his shirt.

„Next time wear a T-shirt. Too many buttons," she complained breathlessly between kisses and made him chuckle.

„That's why you changed," he replied and pulled her shirt over her head a second later.

„Ha!" she triumphed once she had undone the last button and finally pushed the offending item off his shoulders, She smiled when she saw his built he was, not that she hadn't suspected it before. She stroked over his skin and enjoyed the feeling when he did the same and finally took off her bra.

„How about we take this to the bedroom?" she asked him and hoped that she wasn't too forward and he wouldn't stop.

„Gladly," he grinned in that sexy way of his and carried her to the room in which he hadn't been in before.

* * *

Later when her head was resting on his naked chest and his hands glided over her back he suddenly started chuckling and made her open her eyes.

„What?" she asked and looked up at him in confusion and wrinkled her forehead.

„Now you're really sleeping with the intern," he referred to her slip a few days back when she had complained that no one could find out they were sleeping together when they hadn't actually been sleeping together- yet.

„Idiot!" she exclaimed and slapped his chest lightly but had to laugh as well.

„What? I'm just telling the truth," he was still laughing. After another moment though he pulled her back in his arms and kissed her once more.

„You're staying the night, right?" she asked him and suddenly sounded shy.

„If you're not throwing me out then I was planing to, yes," he assured her and felt her relax against him once more. She rested her head against this chest again, closed her eyes and sighed in contentment.

„This is nice," she mumbled and placed a kiss on his throat.

„Very- but I need to get up," he said in an apologetic tone but didn't make any move to get up yet.

„Why?" she whined and tightened her hold on him.

„Because I need something to drink, then use the restroom and then do my evening prayers," he let her know.

„Confessing your sins?" she asked only half joking.

„No, thanking the lord," he grinned and kissed her deeply before he untangled from her- without any help from her- and then got out of bed. He felt her eyes on him even after he had put on his boxer shorts and winked at her before he walked out of the bedroom and made his way into the kitchen to get some water. Cam watched him until her rounded the corner and then got out of bed herself, took a nightgown out of her wardrobe and then walked into the bathroom to brush her teeth.

She was just done when Arastoo came into the bathroom and so she left after another kiss and lay back down in bed. Arastoo brushed his teeth as well and washed for the prayers, which he did back in the living room. Once he came back to bed he found Cam already asleep. He smiled when she snuggled up to him and placed a kiss on her hair.

„Dooset daram," he told her and hoped that he could tell her soon with her still awake. For now it was enough though that he was finally able to fall asleep with her in his arms.

* * *

„What is that noise?" Arastoo groaned and hid his head underneath the pillow.

„My cell," Cam muttered and leaned over to pick it up from he nightstand.

„Why?" came Arastoos' muffled voice from underneath the pillow.

„Let's find out," Cam quipped happier than she felt and picked up. „Saroyan… Yes, Dr. Brennan… no, why? Yes, I know. Ok, so I'll meet you at the lab … yes, thank you," she said and then hung up with a sigh.

„You need to go," Arastoo knew.

„Not immediately, but I need to get up and get ready. Dead body in a tree," she told him but didn't resist when he pulled her close.

„And they don't need you at the crime scene?" he asked and a slow smile spread on his face.

„No, no flesh," she smiled back and leaned in to kiss him. The intended peck turned into a deep kiss and they were both breathless once they broke it.

„Good morning," she grinned up at him.

„Good morning," he mirrored not only her words but also her smile. „You want me to make breakfast while you get ready?"

„Mh, no breakfast, just coffee," Cam replied, because she always needed a while until she could eat something in the mornings.

„Alright, just coffee, azizam," he agreed with yet another kiss.

„What does it mean ‚azizam'? she wanted to know.

„It means darling," he explained. „Is that ok?" he asked then.

„Is what ok?" she was confused.

„That I call you that," he clarified.

Cam laughed and pulled him fully down on top of her before she replied. „You just woke up in my bed and you're asking me now if this is ok?" she asked laughingly,

„Riiiight," he grinned, pecked her lips and then got off of her and out of the bed, „you're the woman sleeping with her intern," he added once he was standing and had just enough time to duck and run before the pillow she threw at his head would have hit him.

* * *

During the next week Cam and Arastoo met twice, once for dinner and the other time for a movie and both times they ended up at her place and he spent the night. If they weren't able to see each other they talked on the phone several times a day and so it was weird for Arastoo when she suddenly stopped calling stopped texting and didn't even pick up her phone anymore. He wrecked his brain thinking about what he could have done wrong to make her angry, but he couldn't find anything. When he had left last she had kissed him goodbye and he had gone to university and she had gone to work. She had told him that she had meetings all day and would call him the next morning, but then… nothing.

He tried calling her office several times but no one picked up. So he tried calling Hodgins, because he knew about them and he could at least ask him where Cam was without him asking strange questions. He couldn't reach Hodgins either though and that's when he started to worry.

Out of sheer desperation he finally called Dr. Edison in his historic department and told him that he had a question concerning the work rotation but couldn't reach anyone. When Edison told him that Pelant was back, had broken into Hodgins and Angelas apartment and threatened their son he couldn't believe it. Edison didn't have much more than that just that they were all working the case and that Pelant was still out there- at least that's what he had heard through the Jeffersonian grapevine.

When Arastoo hung up he was worried and frustrated, but there was nothing he could do.

When he opened his door two days later at eleven o'clock at night and found a disheveled Cam standing in front of it he wasn't sure if he should be angry or relieved.

„Can I get a hug, please?" she asked him and hid her face in his shoulder once he opened his arms for her. „Pelant hung up a dead body in Hodgins and Angelas bedroom, placed bloody rose petals around their son and then taunted us again. In the end he stole all of Hodgins money, shot an FBI agent, nearly killed innocent school girls in Afghanistan and escaped once more. And because we never know which ways of communication he monitors I didn't want you anywhere on his radar," she told him without letting him go.

„Don't do that again. Don't shut me out. I was so worried," he replied and hugged her tighter. She didn't reply and he understood that even if she promised him she would most likely break that promise if the situation arose again. He would do the same. „You're ok?" he asked then and pulled back slightly so he could get a better look at her.

„Unharmed… ok, not so much," she admitted and sounded tired and defeated.

„Why don't you come in and I make you something to eat?" he asked and already led her into his small apartment.

„I'm not hungry," she shook her head and looked around the small living room and kitchen. his desk was standing on one wall and his laptop was still turned on, a cup of coffee sitting beside it. „You're still working?" she asked when she saw it.

„I was trying to, but couldn't concentrate," he replied and closed the laptop. „And you will eat something. I still have some lasagna I can heat up for you," he decided and opened the fridge. the kitchen area was just as small as the rest of the apartment and she was glad for it because it meant that she didn't have to let him go while he took the lasagna out of the fridge and then put it in the microwave.

„Root beer, coke or water?" he asked her then.

„Water please," she said after thinking about it for a second. he handed her a bottle of water from the fridge before he moved with her to the couch and pulled her down in his lap.

„You have something to drink, dinner is heating up, anything else I can do?" he asked her.

„Kiss me and let me stay here tonight? I don't wanna be alone," she requested and a second later his lips were on hers. He was really glad that she trusted him enough to open up to him like that, because he knew that usually she didn't like to admit any kind of weakness. Pelant had really gotten to her though and if that was all it took to make her feel better he would gladly do anything.

Only when the microwave binged did they break the kiss to get her dinner. During that night she woke several times with nightmares and each time he managed to calm her down by whispering sweet nothings and holding her in his arms. „Dooset daram" and „azizam" were working each time.

**TBC**


	6. Chapter 6

**Chapter 6**

Arastoo had been working on his dissertation for several hours and decided that he needed a cup of coffee when his phone rang. When he picked it up and saw Cam's name and a smile spread on his face instantly, so he quickly answered.

„Hey, Cam," Arastoo said. „You miss me?," he half asked, half stated. He knew he missed her and he hoped she missed him a little bit as well. They had spent the weekend after the Pelant thing together and he had spent Monday night at her place. So her calling him on Tuesday afternoon while she was at work could only mean that she missed him, in his book.

„Yes," she chuckled. „But that's not why I'm calling," she added then.

„Then why are you calling?" he asked and sat down again at his desk, but shut his laptop.

„You told me that you met Daisy Wick recently," she started and looked over her shoulder in direction of the lab platform to check if she was still alone.

„Yes," Arastoo confirmed.

„Was she already this weird then?" she whispered into the speaker, afraid that someone would overhear her.

Arastoo laughed out loud before he answered. „Define weird, please. I mean, when was she ever not weird?"

„She thinks she is one with Brennan, an emotional rock, and talks like her. It's freaking me out," Cam reported and sounded so freaked out that he laughed again.

„You know why she is acting that way, don't you?" he asked her and shook his head because he knew that Cam was aware why Daisy was acting that way. There were few people he knew who were as empathetic and finely tuned when it came to reading people as Cam was.

„I don't want to talk to her about her breakup with Sweets and her weird behavior. I really don't want to," she whined and made him laugh again.

„And you're telling me this because…?" Arastoo wanted to know.

„You will talk to her?" she piped up.

„Absolutely not. I barely know her," he exclaimed laughing.

„You will tell me that I don't have to talk to her?," she tried again.

„Why don't you just wait what happens. As long as it doesn't interfere with her work it's none of your business," he advised.

„I know, but it freaks me out," she insisted, „and everybody is talking about how they want to be buried. Hodgins wants to be shot to the sun and asked me if he should reserve me a spot," she went on then and looked over her shoulder again.

„Now you're freaking _me_ out," Arastoo deadpanned and wished he could be with her so he could see that freaked out look she wore so well.

„And I need to order a new coffee grinder because Hodgins used our old one for his beetles," she jumped to the next crazy thing that went on at the lab.

„Oh, just another day at the office," he was full out laughing now. Cam laughed with him and immediately felt so much better. She wasn't really as freaked out as she made it sound, after all it was really just another day at this beautiful lab with it's crazy people. It was nice however to hear his voice and laugh with him even if it was just over the phone.

„Ok, I have to go now. Hodgins is done with his beetle grinding and waves for me to come over," she told him then.

„We're still on for the movies tonight?" Arastoo asked, remembering that he still needed to reserve the tickets.

„Yes, eight thirty, you me and the Hunger Games," Cam confirmed.

„I'm looking forward to it and you're stories from the looney bin that we call The Jeffersonian," Arastoo replied and this time Cam laughed out loud.

„Oooh, they're coming for me. See you later," she said quickly when she saw Hodgins and Daisy coming towards her office.

„See you later, crazy," Arastoo chuckled before they hung up.

* * *

„And, how did it go?" Arastoo asked her when she came towards him in the cinema. She had changed from the tight black dress she had worn this morning and to work into jeans and a black top.

„Good," she replied and pecked his lips. He wouldn't let her go though and pulled her in for a deeper kiss that was still appropriate for the public.

„Hello," he smiled down on her, his arms still wrapped around her waist when they broke the kiss.

„Hi," she smiled back and realized for the first time that she really had missed him during the few hours they had been apart.

„How did it go with Daisy?" he clarified his earlier question without letting her go.

„I found her crying at the lab just when I wanted to leave," she told him and sounded so sympathetic that he had no doubt that she had talked to the other intern. Before he could tell her so however a group of people came into the building and they realized that they were standing in the way and blocking the door. So he let go of Cam and they moved to the side of the room and Cam continued on her own. „So I went over to her and told her that it was alright to be sad and crying, but that she should stop copying Dr. Brennan," she reported.

„What did she say?" Arastoo wanted to know.

„Nothing. I added that before left and after she had admitted that another revival of The Wick-Sweets story wan't a good idea," Cam said and smiled when he took her hand in his and gave it a squeeze.

„You wanna get something to drink and some snacks?" he asked her then, ending the Jeffersonian as a topic of discussion for the night.

„Yes, I need M&amp;Ms," she nodded enthusiastically.

„So M&amp;Ms are your movie food. That's really good to know," he grinned and pulled her into the direction of the snack stand.

„Yes, It's one of my guilty pleasures," she grinned cheekily and looked so adorable that he leaned down and kissed her deeply.

„What's another?" he wanted to know then.

„You," she replied and earned herself another kiss before she got her snacks.

* * *

„You cannot be serious. They so belong together," Cam insisted. Her words were muffled by his lips on hers. She had just unlocked her front door but they just couldn't stop kissing. Her jacket was already on the floor together with her bag and shirt. Trying to discuss the movie wasn't working out so well however because of their impatience.

„There … was no clue… that they… even get along," Arastoo disagreed once again between kisses and unhooked her bra.

„Effie and Haymitch belong together," she said again and actually kept him at arms length for a moment so she could get the sentence out in one piece.

„If I say you're right can we drop the topic?" he asked impatiently, his lips hovering over hers.

„Yes," she nodded, and pulled back when he wanted to kiss her a second later. Expectantly she raised her eyebrows.

„Effie and Haymitch belong together," he spelled it out even though he still didn't believe it. Cam had spent the entire ride home telling him how perfect these two were for each other. It wasn't that he really disagreed but more that he didn't see any evidence of this romance anywhere in the movie. He would understand if she would open the discussion if he was team Peeta or not, but of course Cam had to surprise him again. It didn't matter though because he could kiss her again and that was all that he was interested in at this point.

„Ow," he said a moment later when he stumbled and hit his shoulder on the door frame of her bedroom.

„Careful," Cam snickered and placed a kiss on his shoulder anyway.

„We'll break our necks before we ever make it to the bed," Arastoo shook his head and looked at her in fake exasperation.

„It's not my fault. I lost the heels already," she only laughed.

„So it's my fault?!" he said and put his hands on his hips. Cam just grinned and shrugged, loving this playful banter. Then she let out a squeal when he grabbed her and threw her over his shoulder and carried her into her bedroom and kicked the door shut behind them, before he dumped her on her bed.

* * *

A few days later Arastoo was once again over at Cam's place and they were siting at the kitchen table. This time they had ordered take out, but none of them were eating. While Cam pushed her food around on her plate and stared off into space, Arastoo watched her carefully and with a worried expression.

She had been distracted already when he had arrived and he had thought that she would just tell him what was going on. After all she had sought him out when Pelant had tortured them again. Now however she kept quiet and it worried him. Distractedly he picked up some of his pasta only to discover that his food was already cold and he knew hers would be as well. Finally he had enough.

„Will you tell me already what is wrong?" he asked her as gently as he could.

„Huh?" she made and turned her head to look at him but obviously hadn't really listened.

„I asked you to tell me what's wrong," he told her and placed his fork on the table next to his plate.

„Nothing," she shook her head but it wasn't a very convincing act.

„Cam, please," he resorted to begging and took her left hand in his right.

„It's Booth," she finally sighed because she couldn't stand his penetrating look and lie to him.

„What's wrong with him?" he asked her and became worried himself. He knew that Cam and Booth were old friends and he liked the FBI agent.

„I don't know. I just know that he has regular appointments at the hospital. Brennan said she isn't allowed to talk about it and that really scares me," Cam admitted.

„Wasn't he sick a while ago?"

„Yeah, he had a brain tumor. It could be back, I mean… there's never really any certainty that it'll be ok forever," she sighed deeply and let him pull her over onto his lap.

„I remember. That's when he lost his memories and Dr. Brennan left for a while," Arastoo nodded. „How long have you known Booth?" he asked then and rested his forehead against her temple.

„Forever. Twenty years or so. We met in College and clicked because we both came from chaotic families. Shortly after we started dating my mother died and he helped me and my family through that time and my father fell in love with him, so he stayed in the family even when we stopped dating. I got a scholarship, he became a sniper and we didn't see each other as often, but he asked me to keep an eye on his brother, which wasn't always easy."

Arastoo placed a soft kiss on her temple before he spoke. „Can't you just ask Booth what is going on?"

„If Brennan doesn't tell Angela he won't tell me," she sighed.

„Do you know which hospital he goes to? Maybe you know someone there?" he suggested and pulled her even closer.

„I don't think they will tell me anything, but I could try," she shrugged but still didn't sound any happier or convinced.

„Your food is cold now and you barely ate anything. You want me to re-heat it?" Arastoo asked her, changing the topic.

„No, I'm not really hungry," Cam shook her head and shrunk more into him, placed her head on his shoulder and hid her face in his neck, breathing him in. Arastoo just held her and felt how tense she was, but he knew there wasn't much he could do. „Thank you, though," she said after a while and kissed him softly. He just wanted to reply when her phone rang. Slowly she got up and after she checked the caller ID a small smile appeared on her face. „Hello Michelle," she greeted her daughter and walked out of the kitchen. Arastoo watched her walk away and then got up himself and started to clean up. He put the rest of their food in the fridge, maybe she would be hungry later. Next he placed the plates into the dishwasher and wiped over the table. Finally he took her glass and carried it out into the living room where he found her sitting on the couch and chatting away with her daughter. Because he knew that Michelle had no idea there was a new man in her mother's life he simply set the glass down in front of her and then went back into the kitchen. He checked his cellphone and found a text message from his brother in Iran and decided to reply. Afterwards he answered some messages his baseball friends had sent him. When Cam still wasn't back by then he checked the time and wasn't sure if he was supposed to stay or not. They hadn't talked about him staying over again. So far they had just always fallen into bed with each other in a frenzy of lust every time, and there never had been much of a discussion afterwards. But now Cam was leaving the room in her own apartment so she had the privacy to talk to her daughter. For some reason that made him feel like an intruder and very uncomfortable. He couldn't just leave though, could he? Was their talk from earlier over? Could he even help her? He hadn't managed to make her smile that evening, only Michelle was able to do that. Lost in thought he waited for another twenty minutes and when she still wasn't back, he decided that it was time for him to leave. As quietly as he could he put on his jacket which hang over the back of a chair, grabbed his phone and car keys and wrote down his usual message دوستت دارم on a piece of paper. Silently he walked back into her living room and handed her the message. She looked at it and wrinkled her forehead, but he only gave her a small wave and was out the door a second later, the door closing quietly behind him.

* * *

Cam had tried calling him several times the next day, but he just didn't pick up his phone. Finally around six in the evening he called her back and she was really relieved. After his unexpected departure the night before she had been worried that he was angry with her.

„Sorry, I had appointments at university all day and forgot my cellphone at home. I just saw that you called," he told her as soon as she picked up.

„That's a relief, I was starting to get worried," she told him honestly and unlocked her front door.

„I'm sorry," he apologized again. „ But speaking about being worried. Did you find out more what is wrong with Booth?" he asked her.

„Not yet, but Brennan told me to meet her around seven at the hospital so maybe I will find out then. I did however pay a visit to a doctor at the hospital this morning. Of course she couldn't tell me anything, except in what she specializes. So now I'm actually quite worried about Christine," she reported while she made her way into her apartment, took off her jacket and placed her bags on the sofa.

„What's her specialty?" Arastoo wanted to know referring to the doctor she had talked about.

„NF," she just said and knew he would get it.

„Oh," was all he said.

„Exactly," she sighed.

„Can you call me once you know something? Now you have me worried as well," he asked.

„Of course," she agreed and kicked off her heels.

„Did you make any progress on the case?" he asked next.

„Yes, it was the teammate. Killed her because she stole from the others," Cam said.

„That's why she stabbed her in the eye?" Arastoo was shocked once more what people could do to each other and for what reasons.

„Yup, and hacked her to death," Cam nodded and checked her watch."Listen, I've got to go again in a few minutes, so I will make it to the hospital on time. Can I call you again later?" she asked.

„I'm already looking forward to it," he said and she could hear his smile in his voice.

„I missed you last night," she admitted then. „You could have stayed, you know."

„I wasn't sure you wanted me to and I didn't want to intrude on your privacy when you were talking to Michelle," he explained his actions of the night before.

„So, because you didn't want to intrude you cleaned up the whole kitchen, brought me something to drink, left me a love note and then left?" she chuckled. What she couldn't see were Arastoo's eyes widening suddenly.

„Love note?" he croaked as his voice shook nervously.

„You saying good night in Farsi," she laughed and wondered for a second what made him so nervous.

„Ah, that note," he said and sounded relieved. „If you want me to I can send you another one tonight," he offered and sounded more like himself again.

„Why don't we discuss this later? I really have to go now," she smiled.

„Talk to you later," he confirmed.

„Absolutely," she insisted. „Bye."

„Bye Cam. Good luck," he told her and they both hung up. Cam still felt nervous about what she would find out at the hospital, but the fact that everything between her and Arastoo was ok, already made her feel so much better than she had last night.

* * *

It was yet another phone call that interrupted their sleep a week and a half later. Arastoo had slept right through the ringing of Cam's cellphone, but was shaken awake by a panicked Cam.

„Arastoo, honey, wake up! Brennan was shot," she said and a second later he shot up in bed.

„What? Dr. Brennan was shot? When? How?" he asked and tried to get his brain to wake up as well, while he rubbed his eyes to fight the blinding light that filled the bedroom suddenly when Cam switched on the overhead light.

„At the Jeffersonian. She's at the hospital now and Seely just called. He wants me to go into the operating room with her so she won't be alone and he will have someone he trusts in there. I need to go," she explained hurriedly as she threw on the jeans and shirt she had worn the day before.

„You want me to go with you?" Arastoo offered.

„I don't know how long it'll take and you can't do anything anyway. But could you drive over to my place and get me something else to wear for later. I'll leave you my key. I need to go to the Jeffersonian afterwards and check out the crime scene and start working. Right now Hodgins and Edison are already on their way over," she went on.

„Yes, sure," he nodded.

„Thank you," she said and leaned down towards him to give him a kiss goodbye. When she wanted to leave he held her back by her hand.

„Be careful, ok?" he asked her and his brown eyes were no longer clouded with sleep but with worry.

„I will," she promised, gave his hand a squeeze and then hurried out of his apartment to help her friends.

**TBC**


	7. Chapter 7

Ok, first let me say thank you for the reviews and for the fact that you're still reading, even though the updated before were sparse and with a lot of time in between. Then I want to apologize because I re-read some chapters and realized how many typos and mistakes were in there. It always takes me a while until I am able to see them and I am sure there will be some in this chapter as well. I am trying to edit the old chapters. I did that today with chapter 3 and tweaked a bit here and there, so the chapter is slightly different and a bit longer now. I am no native however and might still miss some grammar and expression stuff. This chapter and the last one basically wrote themselves, what you can also see because they are a lot longer than the others. I'm glad however when I'll be able to bring them out of hiding, because writing dialogue without making it r-rated or simply recounting what we saw on the show was getting difficult.

Here we go…

* * *

**Chapter 7**

Arastoo hadn't been able to think about anything else since he had learned that Dr. Brennan had been shot. Cam had sent him several text messages keeping him updated on her condition, but even though Brennan was much better he still couldn't help but feel scared. If Brennan was shot because someone wanted to stop her from finding the truth, then why shouldn't they shoot Cam as well? So far they only knew that the shooter had to work at the Jeffersonian, but they hadn't caught that person yet. He knew it was crazy, but he was sure he'd feel better if he was at the lab with her. In the end it took them four days to find out who had done it and besides missing her terribly because she was either holed up at the lab or at the hospital, he had got himself into such a frenzy that he was actually angry with her. He couldn't find any other outlet but go for runs and write more poems that reflected how he felt.  
When she invited him over on her first free evening his first reaction was that he should decline, but then again he couldn't stay away.

„Hey," he greeted her when she opened the door to her apartment, but he didn't make any attempt to hug or kiss her hello. Then again she didn't notice because to his biggest surprise she had baby Christine in her arms.

„Look, who's here Christine. It's Arastoo," she cooed at the toddler and smiled brightly at him.

„I didn't know you had a visitor," he just commented.

„I didn't know I'd have a visitor when we talked on the phone. Booth dropped her off an hour ago, because he needs to pick up Brennan from the hospital and neither Sweets nor Max can watch this young lady here and he doesn't want her around at the hospital," Cam explained.

„So she'll spend the night?" he wanted to know and something in his tone made her wrinkle her forehead. Was he angry that Christine was around?

„No, Booth will pick her up on his way home. You mind?" she asked.

„No, not at all. I'm just surprised," he shrugged.

„Why are you still standing in front of the door then? Come in!" she said and gave him another funny look.

„So, how is Dr. Brennan?" he asked her, sat down on her couch and took off his jacket.

„So much better. She can't really rest at the hospital though and so Booth is bringing her home. She'll have to take it easy for a few days and then everything should be fine," Cam replied and put Christine down on the blanket that lay on the floor. She sat down on the blanket as well and handed the little girl one of her baby books. Christine smiled and held the book out for Cam. „You want me to read it for you?" she asked her. The smile of the toddler was enough confirmation and so Cam leaned against Arastoo's legs, placed Christine in her lap and started looking at the book together with her small friend.  
Arastoo watched them and realized that he had rarely seen Cam interact with children other than the five minutes she usually watched Michael or Christine at the lab. He felt his irritation with her wash away because she was simply adorable interacting with the kid of his boss. When Christine became aware that he was still sitting on the couch and not reading with them she started to pull on his trousers.

„You want me to come down and read with you, too?" he asked the small girl and earned himself a smile as well. „Alright, here I come," he smiled back at her and slid down on the floor which caused Cam to move farther back so she was leaning against the couch.

„Christine, what is that?" Cam asked, but actually smiled at Arastoo and moved closer to him.

„Bug," Christine said and clapped in excitement when they praised her for the right answer.

„Hodgins would be so proud," Arastoo laughed.

„I betcha Michael Vincent knows the exact species," Cam replied and made them both laugh. Their laughter was interrupted by the doorbell.

„You're daddy is here," Arastoo told Christine, who reacted by squeaking „Daddy!".

„Oh my god, Booth is here. Hide in the bedroom! He can't see you here," Cam told Arastoo in a panicked voice. For a second he thought she was joking, but one look at her widened eyes and he knew she was serious as a heart attack. His mood darkened again in split seconds, but he didn't want to start a fight now, so he only gave her a disapproving look and walked into the bedroom. He could hear when she opened the door to Booth and when he thanked her and gave her the latest updates on Brennan's condition. Finally the FBI agent left and Cam came into the bedroom. He didn't look up when she came in but kept sitting on the bed and stared straight ahead. He tried to take deep breaths and get rid of the anger, but he was too far gone for it. This had been brewing for four days.

When she didn't say anything either and just looked at him he had enough. „I should go," he said between gritted teeth and got up.

„Why?" she asked and sounded surprised and hurt. The hurt part got to him, because he hated it when she was sad or upset in any way. So in the end his feelings turned once more and instead of yelling at her that he was done with hiding this relationship, which was a discussion he knew would come up in the future, the part of him that had been worried and missing her won out. Arastoo stepped forward after they had a whole conversation only with their eyes and enveloped her in a tight hug.

„I was so worried that you would get shot as well," he admitted. Cam chuckled quietly against his chest and it occurred to him just how much shorter she was without her heels.

„Crazy guy. Who would shoot me?" she asked and pulled him down for a kiss. He enjoyed it because the four days had felt like an eternity and because he loved her, but when he felt her tongue graze his lips he pulled back.

„Don't tell me you were never hurt in the field," he wanted her to know that his worry had some justification.

„I'm not a cop out in the field anymore," she smiled back at him.

„You know what I mean. Brennan, Booth, Hodgins… they all got hurt because of their work at the Jeffersonian at some point. Maybe you're next," he tried to explain his worry.

„Actually my number was up a while ago," she admitted and just the memory caused her to cough again.

„What? What happened? You never told me about this," his toneless voice brought her back to reality. Gently she took his hand and led him to the bed where they both sat down.

„Back then we were investigating the case of a serial killer called Howard Epps. He threatened Dr. Brennan and also Booth's son Parker after he escaped prison. We needed to find him and Booth was going crazy with worry. Finally, they found the severed head of his wife in her fridge and we knew that there was a clue for us in her head. I wanted to follow protocol, but Parker's life was in danger and so I skipped protocol and sew into the head to get to the clue. I sewed into a a neurotoxin and inhaled it. I had an epileptic seizure and ended up on the intensive unit. Hodgins couldn't identify the toxin for a long time and fluid started to build in my lungs. It didn't look good and they actually called my family to say goodbye. I was unconscious by that time though," she recounted the tale of how Epps had poisoned her and suddenly Arastoo understood why Cam was always such a stickler for protocol when it came to her subordinates. It wasn't a power play, but simple worry out of experience.

„But you survived," he stated the obvious.

„Yes, because Hodgins managed to identify the poison," she nodded and let him pull her tightly against his side.

„Is there any damage left?" he asked her, speaking against her hair before he placed a kiss on it.

„Yes, my lungs are still not 100%. I am not allowed to go diving for example and every time I catch a cold I have to get my lungs checked and take antibiotics right away. Other than that I am fine though," she admitted.

„So kissing is allowed?" he asked then and lightened the mood with that question.

„Depends who I am kissing," she joined his banter.

„Really?" he asked with a smile on his face.

„Oh yeah," she nodded and leaned up to kiss him again. This time Arastoo deepened the kiss and slowly lowered her down onto the bed.

„Didn't you want to leave?!" she teased him when he started unbuttoning her blouse while hovering over her. Arastoo just snorted with laughter and kissed her again.

* * *

„You will not believe what happened today," Cam said as a greeting a few days later when she stepped into his apartment where he had already prepared everything for their movie night. She was grinning however so he knew it couldn't be too bad.

„What happened?" he asked her obediently and earned himself a kiss hello, before she took off the black jacket she wore over her tight black and white dress. She put down the empty coffee cup she was still carrying on the table before she sat down on his couch and he joined her.

„Today at work Finn suddenly blurted out that Michelle has been in town since yesterday, but didn't tell me because she wants to spend time with him and not with me," she said, but didn't sound as mad as he expected. So he already knew there was more to this story.

„You mean she wants to spend the nights at his place and not at yours," he used the opportunity to point out because she seemed too ok with it.

„Please not another discussion about my daughter's sex life. I already had that talk with Brennan today and don't need a repeat," she held up her hand to stop him as she spoke, but then started to laugh again and went on with her original storyline. „Anyway, I told Finn that if Michelle found out that he had told me he would be in trouble with her, but he said that he had told me because he didn't want to get into trouble with me." „Poor guy, could only lose," Arastoo interrupted her and shook his head.

„I told him that he should just tell me where they were going tonight and I'd show up ‚unexpectedly' and get to be angry at Michelle and he wouldn't have to lie no more," she said proudly.

„I take it your plan worked," Arastoo grinned.

„Oh yes, it was awesome!" she exclaimed and giggled again. „Michelle was so shocked to see me and started to stutter some excuses."

Arastoo had to laugh as well, because he could picture the scene. „You are one devious woman," he said and pulled her close.

„Michelle has tried calling me twice on the drive here," she was still smiling, but now that her amusement diminished a bit he thought he saw some real hurt underneath it all.

„You're not gonna torture them forever, are you?" he asked. „Remember, your college years," he told her, but that didn't seem to help.

„Please don't remind me," she groaned.

„Why? What did you do in college?" Arastoo was now curious.

„I'd really rather not talk about it," she shook her head. „Didn't you want to show me some great Iranian comic style movie?" she tried to distract him.

„Yes, Persepolis," he nodded. „But I still want to know," he grinned and pointed his index finger at her. Cam took a deep breath and sighed, but then simply kissed him hard. As suddenly as she had kissed him as suddenly she let him go again.

„Start the movie," she whispered against his lips with a smile while she looked him in the eyes.

„Devious woman," he repeated his earlier assessment and kissed her softly before he started the movie.

* * *

„You really won't stay?" he asked when the movie was over and they were snuggled up on his couch with him spooning behind her on the narrow sofa.

„No, I want to be at home in case Michelle decided to spent the night at my place as a peace offering," she replied.

„I doubt that. She's hiding," Arastoo chuckled knowingly.

„Also, I have an interview with an applicant as a new intern tomorrow morning really early and I didn't bring any clothes so I'd have to stop by my place first and the go to work which means getting up even earlier," she added then and turned around so she was facing him. „I'll make it up to you tomorrow night?" she asked then and kissed him slowly.

„I'm already looking forward to it," he replied and kissed her back just as tenderly.

„I really have to go," Cam whispered into the kiss but didn't make any attempt to get up. Instead she deepened the kiss and pressed her body up to his. When she slipped her hand underneath his shirt and caressed his abs he started chuckling.

„If you really want to leave you better do it now. Otherwise you're staying the night," he told her, but pecked her lips again.  
„Ok, I'm leaving, I'm leaving," she laughed and slowly sat up. „My place tomorrow? I cook?" she offered while she put her heels back on.

„Sounds great," he nodded.

„Then see you tomorrow," she smiled, leaned down and kissed him again and then finally managed to get up and leave him for the night.

* * *

The next afternoon Cam was sitting in her office when she saw Michelle walking in. She hadn't heard anything from her daughter the night before so she had already suspected that she would see her or hear from her that day.

„Is it save to come in?" Michelle asked with a shy smile as she walked towards her.

„I don't know. There has been more murdered people in here than I can count," Cam replied with a small smile and raised her eyebrows.

„Please, don't take it personally," Michelle went straight to the core of it and Cam's smile disappeared as well as her own.

„I'm trying really hard not to, but you're personally avoiding me personally, so it's hard not to take it personally," Cam replied and took the award for the most personal sentence. „Why didn't you just tell me you wanted to spend the weekend in with Finn?" she asked her daughter.

„Because, I didn't want to hurt your feelings," Michelle said and sounded sincere.

„Well, it would, but I'd recover," Cam let her know and closed the folder in front of her.

„You know I love you," Michelle tried to appease her.

„I know you do. That's not the point," Cam shot back and got up to place the folder on the „done staple" over on the lab table by the wall. „Loving someone does not give you carte blanche to treat them badly. Loving someone is not an excuse," she let her know and Michelle started to fidget and look down at her hands. She was ashamed, that was obvious. When she started pouting as well, because she felt so bad and Cam saw it she couldn't take it anymore. It was one thing to talk about this, but she couldn't talk about being honest when she was lying herself. „Ok, now I'm hiding the truth," she admitted.

„What?" Michelle asked.

„Finn couldn't keep your secret. He blurted it out," Cam told her.

„So when you caught us outside the club…" Michelle got upset.

„Set up," Cam confirmed.

„I'm gonna kill him," her daughter vowed.

„Finn's a good guy Michelle. I think we should both just let him off the hook," Cam decided to speak for the poor guy. After-all, all he had wanted to do was speak the truth and had got caught in between the two of them and their lies.

„By keeping this a secret?" Michelle asked.

„Oh god, this is all so confusing," it occurred to Cam.  
„Maybe we should just tell each other everything from now on," Michelle suggested with a smile and didn't know that she had hit a sore spot with Cam.

„Ok… yes… we really, really should," Cam agreed, but couldn't look her daughter in the eye anymore. So she turned around and walked back over to her desk. Michelle wasn't dumb though and knew her very well, so of course she picked up that Cam was hiding something.

„You have another secret?" she called her on it. The look in her eyes let Cam know that she wouldn't let her off the hook until she had told her. Maybe she could get through with some half truths?

„I'm seeing someone," she admitted.

„Who?" her daughter immediately asked.

„I'd rather not…" she started but the look on Michelle's face stopped her. „He's a poet," she tried again to wiggle her way out of this one. Michelle only nodded but wasn't ok with it yet. „It's Arastoo," she finally spilled it. „Vaziri," she added unnecessarily.

„But… the intern?" Michelle said disbelievingly, „Who works for you?" she couldn't hide the grin.

„With me… he works with me," Cam tried to make it look better. „in that I…administrate his work …environment, yes."

„Is there anything else I should know?" Michelle continued the interrogation.

„Wait, how did I end up on the defensive here?" Cam asked and had to laugh herself at how stupid this situation was. Michelle laughed with her and so she just hugged her.

„I suppose you want me to keep this a secret from Finn?" Michelle wasn't done yet, but right, of course.

„Oh god, I didn't even think of that," Cam admitted and let go of her.

„I'll try," Michelle grinned and Cam knew she was watched Michelle walk to the door and then stop. „When am I gonna meet him?" she asked and turned back around to her mother.

„You already know him," Cam laughed. Michelle just raised her eyebrows. „He's coming over tonight for dinner," Cam sighed and felt herself blush.

„Which time do you want me to be there?" Michelle grinned proudly.

„Seven," Cam shook her head at her daughter's cheekiness.

„See you at seven,"Michelle kissed her on the cheek and then left Cam's office with a slight wave.

As soon as Michelle was out of sight Cam picked up the phone and called Arastoo's number.

„Michelle knows," she told him when he picked up and without any greeting.

„Michelle knows what?" he asked because he couldn't follow. In the twisted story she had told him last night there were so many options.

„About us," she whispered and looked around so no one would hear. Arastoo couldn't believe it. A few days ago he had been hiding in her bedroom when Booth had shown up and now she told her daughter about them, just like that. This was huge and he knew that telling Michelle was way more important than telling anyone at the lab. For one Hodgins already knew, but that was not the point. Michelle was her daughter, her closest family and the person she loved the most and she had told her about them without any pressure from him. He knew that he was grinning like a fool, but he couldn't care any less. If he ever had any doubts that Cam would ever tell anyone about them these doubts were completely gone now. Michelle knew.

„You're still there?" Cam asked when her announcement was met only with silence.

„Yes," he said and cleared his voice.

„Are you mad?" she wanted to know because she didn't know what to make of his lack of a reaction.

„Mad?" he laughed and she could hear that his voice had that warm undertone again that never failed to give her goosebumps. „I couldn't be more thrilled."

„Then I hope that you will be equally thrilled that Michelle will join us for dinner tonight," she laughed.

„Absolutely," he assured her and sounded genuinely happy.

„Great, then prepare yourself to be interrogated by my daughter tonight," Cam grinned about his enthusiasm.

„I'm not scared," he didn't let her scare him. He heard Brennan's voice in the background then.

„Brennan's coming, I've got to go. See you at seven," she said hurriedly and hung up before he could say anything.

* * *

„Hello Michelle, nice to see you again," Arastoo greeted her that night when she opened the door and although it was slightly awkward it couldn't damped his good mood.

„Yes, you too," she replied. „Come in." He stepped inside the apartment and looked around.

„Cam in the kitchen?" he asked when he couldn't see her.

„Yes, I hope dinner is ready now. I'm starving," Michelle replied and together they made their way into the kitchen. Arastoo was leading the way which didn't go unnoticed.

„Hey, you're here," Cam smiled when she saw him and was surprised when he kissed her hello in front of her daughter-not that she minded.

„And not for the first time, it seems," Michelle grinned cheekily.

„No, he's not," Cam confirmed and gave her a look that said ‚Really? You're already starting to torture him?'

„I already cooked here," Arastoo shrugged.

„So exactly how long has this been going on?" Michelle raised her eyebrows questioningly.

„A few weeks," Arastoo tried to save Cam. Cam however remembered her agreement with her daughter about telling each other everything and contradicted him.

„Three months… well, close to four now," she admitted, but didn't really look guilty or uncomfortable.

„Huh, then I guess I wasn't so far off when I suspected something after we met at the stadium," Michelle grinned proudly.

„Oh no, back then there was nothing going on," Cam disagreed at first but this time both Michelle and Arastoo looked at her with raised eyebrows and a disbelieving look. „Not really," she muttered defeated what made Arastoo laugh.

„Speak for yourself," he said and gave her hand a squeeze before he lifted the lids of the pots to peek inside. „This looks good," he said referring to the food.

„Oh yeah," Michelle nodded and looked intently at Cam, who got the hint that Michelle was not talking about the food.

„Shall we eat?" Cam asked, hoping to end this awkward conversation which had way too many layers.

* * *

Dinner went very well, but that didn't come as a surprise to any of them. Cam knew that Michelle and Arastoo got along and the evening turned out to be equally enjoyable as the one back then after the football game. Michelle told the story with Finn again from her point of view and together Arastoo and Michelle grilled Cam on details on what exactly she had been doing in college. She told them some of the milder stories and hoped the others would never come to light. By the time Michelle decided to leave so she could spent some more time with Finn before she had to get back to college it was nearly midnight.

„You already know when you'll be back?" Cam asked her.

„Probably for Christmas. I have exams coming up before then," her daughter replied and got up from the table where they all still sat.

„But you'll call?!" her mother insisted.

„Of course. I always do," she laughed and hugged Cam quickly and then gave Arastoo a hug as well. „I don't suppose you're leaving as well," she teased them both.

„Uh, he will.. uh…later," Cam stuttered.

„Sure, to go to your bathroom where his toothbrush is already lying beside yours," Michelle laughed.

„How did you… what were you doing in my bathroom?" Cam exclaimed.

„Nothing, but you just confirmed my suspicion," her daughter grinned, gave them another wave and left.

„Busted," Arastoo laughed. „But that doesn't mean that I have to stay the night," he added then.

„Yes, because we both planned on you going home tonight," Cam only snorted, got up from her chair and sat down in his lap. „Thank you for doing this. I'm aware that a dinner with my daughter is probably worse than a first dinner with parents," she added.

„I should thank you for letting me be here. I know how much Michelle means to you and I still can't believe that you told her about us."  
„Me either," Cam smiled at him. „You want to finish your prayers while I put the coffee cups in the dishwasher and get ready for bed?" she suggested. Arastoo only nodded and kissed her. That was all the answer she needed.

**TBC**


	8. Chapter 8

**Chapter 8**

Arastoo couldn't remember ever having had a relationship of any kind that was so reliant on phone calls. Sometimes he and Cam saw each other every day and then there were times when they went days without any personal contact beside phone calls.  
At first he had no time because of baseball training and then she didn't have any time because of work and the new intern, who seemingly didn't get along too well with Dr. Brennan. He used the time to work some more on his dissertation and an article he wanted to publish. He would have liked to have her input on it, but he didn't want to add to her workload by sending it over. He sighed when once more his cellphone rang and her name and picture popped up on his screen. Of course he was happy that she made contact, but he wished he would see her in person and not just talk to her on the phone. It had been a week, after all.

„Hey stranger," he greeted her.

„Hey you," she replied and he noticed that she sounded tired. „It's been a while, huh?" she went on referring to his greeting.

„Yes," he confirmed because there was no way to deny it.

„I'm sorry, but we just now solved the case," she sighed.

„You've already done the paperwork?" he asked.

„No, not yet. I needed a break and thought I'd call you before it get's too late," Cam explained.

„Why don't you finish it tomorrow and we go out for dinner?" he suggested.

„I can't. I have a board meeting at seven and I want to be done with these papers before then. But aren't you back at the lab the day after tomorrow? We could go out then?" she replied, her tone apologetic.

„Yes,sure," he shrugged and sounded less than enthusiastic. He had no problem with Cam being busy, god knew, he had a lot of understanding for her job and what she did everyday and the responsibility she had. However recently, he more and more got the impression that there was more to it- to her sometimes being busy or canceling dates. Whenever they spent too much time together, no matter how much fun they had, she started to pull back. Also when their talks went into a direction that came close to discussing their feelings other than the usual ‚I miss you', she shut down and changed the topic. He loved her very much and knew it, wished he could express it, but he was scared that she would run as soon as the words left his mouth.

„I miss you," she said what she had said so many times before and he knew she did it mainly to make him feel better. He remained quiet because the words he really wanted to tell, her couldn't say. When she didn't say anything else because she obviously didn't know what to make of his silence he decided that he couldn't do this to her. It wasn't her fault after all that he knew exactly what he felt, while she was still figuring it out for herself.

„Which restaurant do you want to go to?" he asked her and broke the awkward silence.

„How about Hatfields? We haven't been there in a while," she said and sounded tentative. He immediately felt guilty for doing this to her.

„Sounds great. What time?" Arastoo replied as enthusiastic as he could.

„Eight? We meet at the lab and then drive there?"

„Two cars or one?" he asked.

„One, but we can't leave the lab together," she decided and made him flinch when she said it. He hated this secrecy. But did he really want to fight with her now? She had told her daughter a week ago without any pressure from him, so what right did he have to make a scene when he hadn't seen her in what felt like forever?

„Ok, how did it go with the new intern?" he decided to change the topic of conversation.

„Not so good. Brennan didn't really warm up to him and Angela complained. Then he was bringing up time travel and made the whole lab crazy," Cam told him and he thought he heard a smile in her voice. „Can I ask you something?" she added then.

„Yes," he said, curious what she wanted to know.

„If you could travel back in time to a moment were you were really happy or want to change something. Where would you go?" she asked and even though he knew the answer, he took a moment to think about it. Could he tell her? How would she react?

Finally he decided that he needed some more time to think about it, but needed to distract her. „Where would you go?" he turned her own question back on her.

„Me? We're not talking about me here," she stuttered nervously and he narrowed his eyes even though she couldn't see it.

„Oh yes, we are. You tell me yours, I tell you mine," he decided to have some fun with this one.

„Uhm… I already told Angela I'd have breakfast with Jesus," she said and he actually laughed out loud.

„You are so lying," he laughed.

„I am… I am," she first wanted to deny it but then couldn't and had to laugh herself. „Can we please change the topic?" she requested then.

„Alright," he agreed, curious about what she was hiding, but glad at the same time because he wouldn't have to lie himself. Cam wrinkled her forehead, surprised that he would give in so quickly but didn't say anything.

„Oh, there's a call on the other line and I have to take it," she exclaimed a second later.

„I will see you Thursday," he replied and couldn't hide his disappointment. He hung up before she could say more. So she only sighed and then picked up her phone.

***  
Shortly after nine that evening Arastoo was back to working on his paper. He had gone on a run after his call with Cam, then had eaten something and taken a shower, and now he was back to sitting at his desk. He groaned when his doorbell rang because for the first time that night he had actually had a thought that was worth writing it down, but now it was gone. Slowly he got up and made his way to the door. He looked down on himself. He wore grey sweatpants and a black shirt, not really dressed for company.  
He didn't have any more time to think about it though, because as soon as he opened the door he was wrapped in Cam's embrace, her lips on his as she kissed him passionately.

„We should take this inside," Cam giggled when she broke the kiss, but didn't let go of him.

„Cam, what are you doing here?" he gasped out surprised and tried to catch his breath. „I thought you had a meeting."

„I skipped it," she admitted with a smile. „Well, officially I have a family emergency," she rolled her eyes when she said that.

„Why?" he still couldn't believe she was here.

„Because I missed you, you fool, and I know that you are angry with me for not finding the time to meet this week," she spelled it out for him.

„I'm, not…" he started to deny it, but when she looked at him he couldn't lie to her face. „I was, but only because I missed you." He smiled through his confession, but it vanished when he saw Cam's face turn serious.

„Arastoo, I need you to talk to me when you're upset. I'm not canceling our dates because I don't want to see you, but because I have no choice. You know my job, you knew what you were getting into when we started dating," she pointed out and he could only nod.

He leaned down to her then and kissed her. It was passionate but tender and he felt her melt against him. „I'm so glad you're here," he whispered against her lips, his forehead resting against hers, before he kissed her again. Cam pulled him into a hug when they broke the kiss and realized only then how much she had missed him herself. When she was busy, she was able to distract herself, but now with him being open and actually angry because he missed her so much… he really was the sweetest guy and one she wouldn't be able to keep her usual defenses up around.

„Did I interrupt your work?" she asked when she saw his laptop open on his desk and some article up on the screen.

„I couldn't concentrate anyway," he muttered against the side of her neck while he kissed her skin.

„What are you working on? This is not your dissertation, is it?" she asked but tilted her head to the side to give him better access.

„Article for the journal of forensics," Arastoo replied, but really couldn't be any less interested in his article right now. Getting her out of her tight purple dress was much more important to him.

„You didn't tell me you were writing another article," Cam exclaimed and pushed him away so far that she could look in his face.

„I didn't see you, so I couldn't tell you," Arastoo replied and pulled her in for another kiss.

„I wanna read it!" Cam laughed and pushed him away again.

„Now?!" he asked disbelievingly and his shoulders slumped.

„Are you crazy? Absolutely not!" she laughed and was happy when he kissed her again. He had her out of her dress seconds later and his shirt and sweatpants followed next. They sank down on the floor right in the middle of his living room.

* * *

„You know, I never liked this huge rug my parents gave me, but now…" he trailed off with a chuckle as he referred to the large, expensive, Persian rug they had just made love on. They were leaning against his couch and had a blanket thrown over their naked bodies. Cam just laughed agains his chest and placed another kiss there. He wrapped both arms around her shoulders and kissed the top of her head. Cam enjoyed being wrapped in his arms with his scent all around her and his body against hers. He made her feel safe and comfortable. She had never slept better than in his arms. She knew how cheesy that thought was, but for once her reality was congruent with her romance novels. Thinking about her novels, his article came back to the front of her mind.

„Can you hand me your laptop? I wanna read your article," she requested.

„Your pillow talk really needs some tweaking," Arastoo chuckled but reached over and handed her his laptop anyway. She thanked him with a peck and typed in his password, which she knew by now and then started reading. „You want something to drink?" he asked her, untangled from her and got up. He picked up his boxer shorts from the other side of the room and put them back on and did the same with his sweats.

„Just some water, please," she replied without looking of from the screen.

„Ice?" he asked from the kitchen area.

„No," she replied. „This is really good, Arastoo," she complimented on his article. He took some time to make himself some tea, then got her water from the fridge. When he rounded the corner with their drinks in hand he found her slumped against the couch fast asleep.

„Great," he chuckled quietly. „My article is so interesting that she falls asleep reading it." He kneeled down beside her, took the laptop from her hands and gently picked her up with the blanket. He carried her over to his bed, put her down and covered her with the duvet. For a moment her remained sitting beside her when she stirred and turned her body instinctively in his direction. Softly he combed through her hair and kissed her forehead several times. „Do you have any idea how much I love you?" he asked her in barely above a whisper. „I sometimes feel like I'm going mad here. Years of working with you, falling in love with you a bit more every day. And then finally I get my chance to be with you and still you keep your walls up. What will it take, Camille?" he asked her sleeping form. As if she understood him she moved further into him and wrapped her arms around him in her sleep while muttering his name.

„Come to bed," she added without opening her eyes because she was still asleep.

„In a second, love, Doostet daram" he replied, placed another kiss on her head and then got up to get ready for night prayers and bed.

* * *

Two days later Arastoo was back at the lab, but even though it was already half past six he hadn't seen Cam yet. He knew however that she was at a meeting first and then had an autopsy. So when he had changed his clothes and taken a shower himself, he was surprised when he heard her voice from her office.

„Psst. Come here," she told him and lurked around the corner of her open office door. When he looked at her she smiled at him and held out her left hand for him to take. Of course he hurried over to her office, only had a second to realized how beautiful she looked in her blue dress, before she led him around the corner in her office and kissed him to his biggest surprise. He held her close with one arm wrapped around her waist and the other around her shoulders while she cradled his head with her left hand.

„We shouldn't do this here," she told him and pulled back.

„Yeah, I agree," he replied without taking his eyes off her lips. He kissed her again.

„We have reservations at Hatfield's at 8:00. So you leave first, I will follow, and the night is ours," she smiled when she broke the kiss again. He leaned in again, but this time she stopped him right away. While she turned around with a dreamy sigh to get her coat and bag, he walked out into the lab so he could do as she told him and wait by her car. He didn't get very far though because an FBI agent walked towards him and had a huge yellow barrel with him.

„I'm looking for Dr. Saroyan," he told Arastoo, who was the first one he came across.

„Now?" Arastoo asked him. He wanted to go to his dinner date with her and not have her sign papers for whatever it was that was in this barrel.

„I'm not taking this home with me. So, yeah, now.," the guy replied just as Cam came out of her office.

„Uhm, I'm Dr. Saroyan," she told him and buttoned the black suit jacket she wore over her dress.

„This was found in a hazardous waste disposal facility. Uh, we tried to call," the FBI tech informed her and started to open the barrel.

„We're sort of closed for the night," Cam let him know and looked at Arastoo who stood beside her with an unnerved expression and his hands on his hips.

„Yeah, she's had a long day," Arastoo pointed out, but that couldn't stop the FBI guy.

„Yeah, me too, after I saw this," he said and opened the barrel. Inside was some sort of goo with human remains and a hand sticking out. The smell that came out was strange, something like decomposing flesh as well as soap. „Can't really see myself having dinner tonight," he added when they saw the remains.

„Me neither," Cam said and took another look. They turned and looked at each other and both knew what that meant: No date tonight.

* * *

An hour later the whole squint squad was back at the lab and Cam, Arastoo, Brennan and Hodgins were up on the platform trying to examine the remains. Both Cam and Arastoo had changed back into their work clothes and lab coats.

„I wasn't able to X-ray the inside because of the metal," Arastoo told them as they all stared into the barrel.

„So, at this point, we're just trying to decide what happened to an arm," Brennan commented while she and Cam examined the arm.

„We wouldn't have this much soap unless there was more victim inside there," Hodgins, who was standing beside Arastoo, knew.

„You sure it's soap?" Cam asked, because this sure didn't smell like soap.

„Well, it's got to be some kind of salt-based hydroxide that was poured into the barrel, dissolving our victim's fat, which is how you get soap," Hodgins replied.

„Assuming the killer wasn't trying to make soap, I'm guessing this was just an epically failed attempt at a body disposal," Cam agreed with him- well, kind of.

„Distance between the lunate and the third distal phalanx suggests the victim is male," Brennan added and put the measuring tape down.

„You can tell all that just from a hand?" Cam wanted to know. She could find out all kinds of things from tissue, but when it came to bones she could still learn a thing or two from Brennan.

„Extremities can be very informative," the anthropologist nodded.

„Are you gonna talk about the size of a man's feet now?" Hodgins made the first inappropriate comment for the night and Arastoo saw that Cam tried to hide her grin and shake her head, especially when Brennan replied.

„A 2002 urology study in London showed that there was no correlation between the size of a man's penis and the size of his feet."

„That was a study? They should've just called," Hodgins said with a telling look on his face which caused Cam to raise her eyebrows and have an expression on her face that showed that this was way too much information.

„It's nice how close we all are, but maybe we should just focus on soap-man here," Arastoo intervened, because he didn't want his girlfriend discussing the penis sizes of her co-workers. At least not while he was standing right next to her.

„Are you able to estimate time of death based on the soap compound?" Brennan took over again and turned to Hodgins.

„At this point, all I know is that it would take approximately 24 hours for the chemical to actually dissolve our friend here down to the bone," he knew.

„Wow, that's fast," Arastoo was actually impressed.

„Yeah, yeah, but add on to that for the soap to actually harden and set," Hodgins went on.

„So we're looking at a minimum of 36 to 48 hours," Cam summed up what he had just said while the bug and slime guy placed an air pressure pump on the valve that looked out of the soap.

„From when the victim actually entered into the barrel? Yes, that is correct," he confirmed and Arastoo went over to the compressed air tank to hep Hodgins.

„And any bones that are still in there could be decomposing as well," Brennan worried.

„I'm on it," Hodgins promised and turned to Arastoo. „Ready?" he asked and Arastoo turned the machine on. Slowly the soap with the remains was pushed out of the barrel and onto the lab table. While Hodgins was very impressed with his own work Cam just left the platform, knowing that she should do the paperwork now so she could work on the remains when they were soap free. Brennan seemed to think the same.

„Let me know when the bones are clean, ," she told her intern and then walked off to her office as well.

„Bones are clean? I think the soap already did that," Hodgins grinned at Arastoo, who just sighed. Sometimes he really didn't like his work.

When he had freed the skull of the soap Angela and Brennan joined him again on the platform. While Angela took photographs of the skull he and Brennan looked at the x-rays he had taken. The rest of the bones was still deep in the soap and once the two women left he started to scrape and dig them out. Cam walked in and out of her office, even brought him coffee at one point when she was done with the paper work. He knew that she was waiting for him, but he couldn't know how long it would take until he was done. It was past midnight when he was finally finished and a look over to Cam's dark office told him that she had already left. He covered the bones with a plastic sheet and walked into the locker room to get changed again. He took off his shirt because it smelled like the remains by now, but decided to take the shower at home. He opened his locker and found a post it in there saying „Hope it isn't morning yet. See you tomorrow! Have good night and don't dream of human remains and soap. Cam". He smiled when he saw it, even though it was the most unromantic love note he had ever been given. he took a t-shirt out, changed into it and then left himself.

* * *

The next day Cam was in before him and so were Angela and Hodgins. The first thing he did was that he filled out a requisition for an industrial dish washer and went over to Cam when she came out of Angela's office.

„Hey, Dr. Saroyan. Could you sign this please?" he asked her and held the papers out for her to see together with a pen.

„What am I signing?" she asked when she had already signed the first sheet.

„The request of a machine to clean the bones. I can't do it by hand," he let her know and tried not to notice how well that blue and white dress she wore fit her.

„Ok, tell me when it's there, I wanna take a look at it," Cam requested and kept signing. „Ok, all done, Mr, Vaziri," she said after what felt like fifty signatures and then they both walked off in different direction, so no one would suspect anything.

* * *

Around noon Arastoo send her a text telling her that his machine was there. She came out jus when he put the bones on a tray, the whole machine already set up in a corner of the lab.

„This is what I signed on for?" she asked slightly surprised.

„Yes, an industrial dishwasher," he nodded, and put the tray into the machine.

„You're sending the remains through a power rinse cycle?" she asked sightly amused as he started the machine.

„Basically it's covered in soap, so yeah," he confirmed and took a step back.

Cam walked around the dishwasher and came to his side. „This isn't gonna wash away any evidence?"

„The catch tray will collect the runoff and any particulates," Arastoo let her know and kept his eyes on the machine so nothing would go wrong. He could feel her presence beside him. She was standing so close to him that their shoulders were nearly touching and he could smell her perfume.

„I'm sorry we didn't get our evening," Cam said then without looking at him. Just like him her eyes stayed locked on the dishwasher.

„Occupational hazard," he replied and couldn't stop himself from glancing at her. „At least I was here with you," he added with another look to his side and could see that she started smiling.

„I know this is hard," Cam sighed then and sounded resigned. Even after a week apart they still couldn't find the time to go out for a simple dinner.

„Loving you is the easiest thing in my life right now," he couldn't stop himself from saying. „I'd like to boast to the world about it, but that's just my ego," he added with a smile, but didn't really get any kind of reaction from her, other then a really tiny smile.

„You were expecting this right?" she asked him referring to the foam that suddenly flowed out of the dishwasher and down to the floor.

„You can expect something and still be knocked off your feet when it happens," he replied and the double meaning wasn't lost on her. She paused, then grinned and looked down to the floor to hide it. They couldn't discuss this any further though, because the machine beeped and the bones came out.

„Clean as a whistle," Arastoo stated relieved that it had worked.

„Ok, I'm gonna go and tell Brennan," Cam told him while he walked over to the tray to take a closer look. When she walked past him she touched his arm with her hand for a moment and gave him another smile. That was all she could do for now.

* * *

In the late afternoon when Brennan was back from her trip with Booth and Arastoo had taken a closer look at the bones his mood darkened considerably. The victim had been a child soldier and the fact that Brennan wanted to discuss his own experience during war didn't help his mood. he took a longer prayer break and avoided going to Cam, because he knew she would see right through his act of indifference and call him on it. For now he wanted to get rid of the memories and the anger and shame this case had awakened in him, but it was simply impossible.

„Brima couldn't have killed Symchay." Arastoo knew in the evening when he walked into Hodgins lab. his mood hadn't got better, actually the opposite. he had been in trauma therapy when he had arrived in the US so he knew the signs, but he was at work and him facing his demons from the past would have to wait.

„Well, the guy looks pretty scary, and Booth said that a soldier wouldn't need both hands, so.." Hodgins didn't agree with him.

„This one would," Arastoo didn't back down. „Angela modeled the attack. Given the extent of the victim's injuries, and Brima, and the victim's height and weight differentials, he couldn't have done it. If he had both hands, yes, but as an amputee, no way," he informed his colleague. „Have you figured out what was used to stab Symchay?" he asked Hodgins then.

„Yes and no," came the cryptic reply. „But mostly no." He saw that he had to elaborate when Arastoo wrinkled his forehead in confusion. „See, the results from the swab indicate a weapon made of steel."

„Medium-carbon steel- that's what they use to make bayonets," Arastoo knew from the reports he had read.

„Yeah, but this isn't 's chrome-plated and contains traces of potassium chloride," Hodgins corrected him this time.

„I don't understand," Arastoo admitted.

„Neither do I," Hodgins agreed. „I mean, potassium chloride? That's a residue common to an AK-47 after firing."

„And the steel and chrome plating matches an AK?" Arastoo tried.

„Yep," Hodgins said lightly. „This injury was made by an AK-47."

„That makes no sense," Arastoo exclaimed, getting frustrated again. „You can't slice the clavicle with the barrel of an made a mistake; test it again," he ordered and had by then already lost control over the tone of his voice.

„I get that you're upset about this, but I didn't mess up here," Hodgins insisted and tried to calm him.

„Do you have any idea what this man went through?" Arastoo asked him.

„Yes, but," Hodgins started but didn't get any further because Arastoo interrupted him.  
„No! It wasn't an unhappy problems weren't getting into the right preschool and having the coolest sneakers," he was on a roll now.

„I get that," Hodgins tried to get a word in and calm him down. Arastoo wasn't to be stopped though.

„It was hell! He grew up in hell, Hodgins! Making mistakes and giving up- that can't happen!" he yelled at him.

„Hey! I am not giving up! Now, I'm sorry that you don't like my results, but I didn't mess up here!" Hodgins yelled back and jumped off his chair. None of them saw Cam hurrying over to Hodgins lab, because she had heard the commotion from her office.

„Do you want the whole lab hearing you? Because that's what's happening," she told them.

„I do not need him coming in here and accusing me of being incompetent and not caring," Hodgins yelled at her now and then turned back to Arastoo. „You're the intern. I'm the guy with "Doctor" in front of his name."

„I had no idea you were incapable of making mistakes! Maybe I should just bow down to you and do whatever you say!" Arastoo was in no place to give in and their volume rose even more.

„Okay, that is enough!" Cam said sternly. „You go back to work, Dr. Hodgins. Mr. Vaziri , you come with me." she ordered and left no doubt that this was not debate able. Arastoo actually felt like a scolded school kid when he followed her into her office.

„What's going on?" she asked him once they were alone.

„I'm trying to solve this case," he shot back with an attitude.

„And you feel you're the only one who can by alienating the most brilliant staff in the country?" she asked him and he knew that she had a point. Also he was really bad at staying mad when she was around. So instead of anger he felt ashamed now.

„I'll apologize and get back to work," he said and turned around to leave her office.

„I didn't say you could go," she stopped him, now angry herself. „I'm also your boss, remember?" she pulled that card and he hated it.

„I remember," he nodded and felt the anger coming back. Cam looked at him and knew that there was more to it. He looked angry but also… lost, somehow.

„What's going on, Arastoo?" she asked with worried eyes and took a step closer to him.

„You don't sound like my boss now," he pointed out and sounded vulnerable,

„I want to help you; talk to me," she spelled it out for him and wished that they were anywhere but here at the lab so she could hug him tightly, he sure looked like he could use it.

„Would you like everyone here to see your concern? I don't think so," he said and looked to the door. When he said it the anger was back in his voice but she knew that this time it had nothing to do with his fight with Hodgins, but with the fact that she still wanted to keep them a secret. She opened her mouth to tell him that he was wrong and that she didn't care, but she just… couldn't.

So before she could say anything he went on „This is work. I'll be a professional. I'm sorry for my behavior. It was wrong, and it won't happen again. But I would really like to get back to the bones," he told her and sounded so defeated that she could only nod. She watched him walk away with a worried look and wondered what was going on with him. It was killing her that she couldn't help him simply because they were at work. She had to take a deep breath to keep the tears at bay, because seeing him like this was hurting her.

***  
It was a sleepless night for both of them. Arastoo was haunted by the pictures of his youth during a war and ended up running in the middle of the night so he wouldn't go stir crazy in his small apartment.  
Cam was also haunted by a picture: by the picture of Arastoo's sad eyes and defeated posture when he had left her office. She hadn't been able to talk to him again and hadn't had the courage to call him, simply because she didn't know what to say. An apology for not helping him because of protocol when she knew he needed his girlfriend and not his boss, was simply not enough. She wiped away the tears that spilled against her efforts when she replayed the situation over and over in her head. Arastoo was always there for her no matter what. She felt so bad for not helping him and leaving him alone with all of his anger. Cam knew him well enough that this wasn't simply about the case or a disagreement with Hodgins. There was more to it and she needed to find out what was going on. The man she loved needed her, she told herself and then paused. Loved? Did she really already love Arastoo? She had been with Paul for years and not once had that word crossed her mind. Four months with Arastoo and she was already thinking about him that way. It was scary, but it also felt good to finally admit it to herself. Yes, she loved Arastoo and he had basically told her he loved her the day before. And she had remained quiet because they had been at the lab… she really was a horrible girlfriend.

* * *

She didn't see him at work the next day until he sought her out in her office in the evening when the case was wrapped up. She suspected that he had been hiding from her in the bone room.

„Are you done?" he asked her nervously when he walked in.

„Just about." she said and at first didn't look up from her screen where she was just checking the last files for the case. Then she turned her head though and saw him fidgeting and playing with his fingers. A clear sign that he was nervous.

„I need to explain something to you," he told her and got her attention. She saved and closed the files she was working on.

„Okay," she said and turned towards him.

„I have some experience with child soldiers from the other side," he told her hesitantly and Cam got up from her chair. „There were 96,000 child soldiers during that first Persian Gulf War," he let her know as she walked towards him with a worried look on her face and smoothed out the skirt of her black and white dress.

„You said that you were privileged," she said confused, because this opening didn't fit with what he had told her so far about his life in Iran.

„I was. But there were others. My cousin," he went on, but she could see how difficult it was for him to talk about this.

„You don't have to tell me," she assured him.

„I want to," he insisted, his hands by then buried in the pockets of his grey lab coat. „My cousin was taken away. I saw it. I could do nothing," he said haltingly.

„You were just a child yourself," she told him, wondering if he really blamed himself for this.

„Farid died," he added and then couldn't go on, looked down. Cam didn't think about it this time. She just stepped forward and hugged him tightly.

„We're at work," he said even though he hugged her back.

„Never mind," she told him and realized that she really didn't care. He was hurt and upset and she wanted to make him feel better. That was all that mattered to her.

„Someone will see us," he pointed out and Cam actually smiled. It wasn't a happy smile though, but one out of embarrassment, because she realized how much she had ingrained it in him that they had to be kept a secret at the lab. It seemed like he was scared he would lose her if someone saw them. She looked to the side when she heard steps and saw Angela and Hodgins walking towards them. And by the smile on Angela's face they had seen them.

„That boat just sailed, Arastoo," she told him softly and hugged him a bit tighter.

„Why are Cam and Arastoo embracing?" they heard Brennan's voice then and broke their embrace. Cam looked at him with a knowing smile, because this would be awkward with absolute certainty. Hodgins and Angela alone, no problem, but Brennan? Cam took his hand and together they walked out to the staring three.

„Arastoo and I, we, uh…" she trailed off because she didn't know what to say. Wasn't it obvious what was going on with her spelling it out by saying out loud that they were sleeping together?

„Um, when I'm at work, I will call this woman Dr. Saroyan , and she will call me Mr. Vaziri, but when we're not at work…" Arastoo tried to help her by directing his words at Brennan.

„When we're not at work…" she tried to take over again, but Brennan interrupted her with a puzzled look on her face.

„Why does it matter what you call each other?" the brilliant scientist asked them.

„Exactly," Cam nodded and hoped that Brennan would get the hint, but she didn't. So in the end Angela leaned over to her best friend and told her what was going on.

„Oh, oh. Okay, I see. Uh, it's all nomenclature is at its core," Brennan said surprised.

„You will not see any evidence that Cam and I are more than colleagues," Arastoo assured his direct boss and looked a bit worried about Brennan's reaction.

„Are we supposed to clap or something?" Hodgins asked then with a wide smile on his face.

„Noooo, Dr. Hodgins," Cam said immediately.

„Because we're at work," Angela tried to help them.

„Really,Dr. Hodgins, you need to learn how to pick up on the more subtle social indicators," Brennan lectured him and Cam had to bite her cheek to keep from laughing out loud about this comment. By the way Arastoo's upper body shook slightly she suspected he did the same.

„Yes, yes.I guess I'm just a romantic," Hodgins wasn't to be stopped though and started applauding them. „Yeah! Yay! All right! Proud of ! Good-looking couple."  
While he clapped first Brennan fled, then Angela and finally Cam and Arastoo walked back into her office. Hodgins stopped a few seconds later when he realized that his wife was gone.

„And I thought he had taken this well," Cam deadpanned when they were back alone in her office.

„Guess him bottling it up for all this time didn't do him any good," Arastoo chuckled and pulled her close again by wrapping his arms around her waist. „Thank you," he said then and the pain that had been in his eyes minutes before seemed gone.

„Thank you for telling me," she replied and cupped his cheek with her hand. „You're ok?" she asked.

„Yes," he nodded and kissed her softly. „How about we go and have that dinner now that we wanted to have two days ago?" he suggested.

„Good idea. How about we go to the Founding fathers? You can never get into Hatfields without reservations and now that everybody knows…" she trailed off.

„Sure," he shrugged. „I just need to get changed."

„Meet you here in ten minutes?" she asked and kissed him to his biggest surprise.

„Make that five," he grinned what caused Cam to run her fingers over his cheek.

„Be prepared though," she said then and it sounded like a warning,

„For what?" he asked and let go of her so he could go and get changed.

„As soon as Brennan gets home and tells Booth he will call or come over. And he will threaten you at one point," she told him. He stopped in her office door and turned back around so he faced her.

„Guess we have to spent the night at my place then," he winked and was off to get changed.

TBC


	9. Chapter 9

**Again, I have to say that I am so sorry for not updating sooner. The recent developments on the show have kind of scared my muse away.**

**Chapter 9**

The next week basically started like the other one had ended. Cam was working the cases with the Jeffersonian while Arastoo worked on his master thesis. They tried to make more time for each other but they weren't always successful. Their cellphones were still the most important items of the relationship. Barely a day passed without at least 6 to 7 phone calls or text messages. But no matter how much they wished that it was different, they just couldn't change their schedules. So when Arastoo called on a Saturday night it was just one more phone call added to the long list of calls.

„ Hey, I thought you are throwing balls around," Cam said as a greeting.

„ Is that what they are calling baseball practice now?" Arastoo laughed.

„Who's they?" she replied teasingly.

„The cool kids?" he replied with a smile in his voice.

„ How is Hodgins holding up?" she changed the topic of their banter.

„ Pretty good," he said and she could hear Hodgins protesting in the background.

„ Man, pretty good? I beat you!" Hodgins bragged.

„ Yes, you are the king of baseball," Arastoo said sarcastically.

„ So why are you calling?" Cam finally asked, not that she minded his call. In fact she had been looking forward to it all day. It was the first weekend that Arastoo was the one in the relationship who did not have time. Usually she was the busy one and this time the roles reversed.

Arastoo and Hodgins were playing baseball with some friends and the date had been set for a long time and so Arastoo had been reluctant to cancel. Of course Cam understood, but she missed him anyway.

„To hear your voice?" he replied but she could hear the smile in his voice. „ No, actually I'm calling because Hodgins and Angela are inviting us to dinner tonight," he finally let the cat out of the bag.

„ Oh really?" she said surprised, because they had never been invited to dinner by Hodgins and Angela.

„ Yes," he confirmed. „ 8 o'clock at their place. Hodgins is cooking,"

„Is Hodgins still listening to this phone call?" she wanted to know.

„ No," Arastoo said and she knew he was lying.

„ Hodgins cooking, that sounds so great," she said slowly and more enthusiastic than necessary.

„ Okay he's gone now," Arastoo said a few seconds later and she could hear him walk away from the crowd.

„ Hodgins cooking?," She asked and this time actually sounded as skeptical as she felt. „ Are you sure that's a good idea?"

„ Well, judging from what I know, Angela can't cook and so far they haven't starved," he chuckled.

„ Okay," she agreed reluctantly. „ but if we go home hungry or with food poisoning it's on you."

„ Great, pick you up at seven," Arastoo said happily and already wanted to hang up on her.

„ Wait," she called out. „ are we supposed to bring something?"

„ Like what?" he wanted to know.

„ Like… dessert or wine?" she suggested.

„ Hodgins," she heard him yell, „ do you want us to bring dessert or wine?"

„ No, not necessary," Hodgins screamed back.

„ He said…" Arastoo started but Cam stopped him.

„ I heard," she laughed. „ I'm not deaf."

„ You could have fooled me," Arastoo teased her, referring to how he had been awoken a few days ago.

„ I thought you were awake," she defended herself immediately and rolled her yes. That topic should have been closed by then.

„ My ears are still ringing. I didn't even know what a radio in the bathroom could be that loud," he said and started the discussion again that they had days ago in the morning. Cam had been up before him, had taken a shower had blasted the radio at full volume with the door to the bedroom open. So Arastoo had been awoken with a start the last time he had stayed over at her place and teased her with it ever since.

„Ok, we've been over this a thousand times now and so I am just gonna hang up. See you later," she said and really hung up on him.

* * *

„It's so great that we're finally have this double date," Angela gushed when they arrived at their place.

„Huh, finally?" Cam asked puzzled because she hadn't been aware that that had been a long time coming.

„Wait, Arastoo didn't tell you that we invited you at least five times now?" Angela replied and both women turned to Arastoo with questioning looks on their faces.

„Uh, I'm gonna go and help Hodgins in the kitchen," he just said and then hurried off to find his friend.

„That was weird. What's his problem?" the artist asked Cam.

„I have absolutely no idea. But believe me I will get to the bottom of it once I'm alone with him," Cam said darkly.

„Don't be too hard on him. I'm sure he has some kind of rational explanation," Angela laughed it off.

„We'll see about that," Cam wrinkled her forehead but then decided to drop it for the time being. „So where's Michael Vincent? I haven't seen him in a while," she changed the topic.

„Hopefully still in his room, but we better go and check," she said and they both went into the nursery where they spent their time until the men called them into the dining room once dinner was ready.

„This is actually really good," Cam complimented Hodgins on the food.

„You didn't think I could cook, admit it!" the scientist just laughed.

„Yes, ok, I had doubts," she admitted laughingly. „But I only saw you using my blender for maggots and other creepy crawlies."

„And I brewed some moonshine," he added proudly.

„Again, not cooking," Cam argued.

„I have to defend him though. Jack is really cooking most of the time and usually it's really good," Angela supported her husband.

„Yeah, it seems like the guys are the real chefs here," Cam admitted.

„But you're a good student," Arastoo complimented her and took her hand in his under the table.

„Arastoo is teaching me how to cook some Persian dishes," Cam explained.

„Next time you have to cook for us," Hodgins remarked.

„I'd love to but you know my apartment. We barely have enough space when it's just Cam and me," Arastoo laughed.

„Yeah, I remember we came over to watch the baseball game," Hodgins replied knowingly and the two men started recounting the game.

„So, I guess you're staying at your place most of the time," Angela grinned at Cam.

„Oh yeah," Cam nodded without elaborating further. She wasn't too comfortable with the way the conversation was going because knowing Angela it would soon become very inappropriate.

„So, he'll move in soon?" Angela said only half-jokingly.

„We haven't talked about it yet," Cam laughed it off. „ We barely find time to see each other as it is," she admitted and checked with sideway glance that Arastoo was still talking with Hodgins.

„Living in one apartment could help," the artist teased.

„We're so not there yet," Cam shook her head and the thought occurred to her that they hadn't even exchanged the three magical words. „However don't let him talk you out of cooking for you. His food is amazing," Cam went back to the original topic of discussion.

The rest of the night was filled with laughter and nice friendly talks, but Cam kept glancing at her boyfriend and still wondered why he had hidden the dinner invitations from her. He had to know that it would come out at one point because she was working with both Hodgins and Angela every day, so one of them was expected to say something at one point.

As soon as they were alone in the car after dinner Cam turned to him and just needed to ask.

„Why didn't you…" she started, but he cut her off.

„I didn't tell you because I want to spend the few hours we have with you… alone. Today Hodgins just wouldn't leave while he asked me to call you so I didn't get out of it," he admitted with a sigh.

„But we go out all of the time. Where's the difference?" she asked.

„ A. we haven't gone out in at least five weeks and B. when we go out to the theatre, the movies or somewhere else it's just us amongst strangers. We can talk about stuff that concerns only us and it's just different," he insisted. What he really wanted to say was that Cam always tensed when they were around colleagues, even though they knew about them. They never held hands when they were around their friends from the lab- at least not above the table. They never kissed and she would surely never use that intimate tone of voice with him, that he loved so much, when the others were around. It was like she couldn't help but slip into boss mode in private when they were with Angela, Hodgins or Brennan outside of work.

„Do I need to understand that?" she asked him after thinking about it for a moment or two.

„No," he shook his head and started the engine of the car. „You only need to understand that I really want to spend more time with you and I really think that we need to spend more time with each other," he said insistently.

„This seems to be a topic of conversation that keeps coming up," she sighed and sank farther back in her seat.

„You disagree?" he asked and anger mixed into his tone of voice.

„No, I don't. It's just that we keep talking about this, but at the same time we can't change our schedules and it's frustrating," Cam replied. „Take next weekend. I know we have plans and you want to teach me how to cook, but today I got a call that they want my last paper earlier because the publishing date for the magazine was moved and so I can't see you next weekend. There's nothing that I can do about it," she explained then. „At least you're going to be at the lab the week after so we'll see each other then."

„You're canceling our weekend?" he asked disbelievingly and skipped over the work related part.

„I have to," she said and sounded really apologetic. „You understand, right?"

„I do, but that doesn't mean that I like it one bit," he sounded annoyed anyway. Cam didn't know what to say to that and Arastoo hadn't anything else to say so they kept quiet for the rest of the drive. When he parked the car in front of her house but didn't make any move to unbuckle his seatbelt she turned to him and took his right hand in her left one.

„You're coming up?" she asked quietly.

„I'm still annoyed and disappointed," Arastoo admitted bluntly.

„And I want you to come with me anyway," Cam said and gave him a small smile.

He took a deep breath and returned her smile after another moment. „All right," he sighed and nodded.

„Thank you," Cam told him, leaned over and kissed him softly before they both got out off the car.

* * *

So after another week and a whole weekend spent apart because she was busy, Arastoo was back at the lab and they saw each other at work at least. It wasn't sufficient and they both knew that something had to change but in order for something to change Cam needed to drop her last shields and even though Arastoo knew that and was sure that it would happen, he hoped it would happen rather sooner than later. Her pulling away and creating distance by working all the time was something he understood, but wasn't sure how long he would be able to put up with it.

His first day back at the lab didn't give them much opportunity to spent quality time with each other and on his second day a dead body with an unknown virus upset the whole lab. And while they didn't know if the virus that had killed the poor woman was airborne or not they all had to run around in full equipment with masks and oxygen while there were biohazard signs everywhere.

They were all glad when they could at least eliminate the airborne theory and could take off their masks. Arastoo was just thinking about how to get Cam for a few minutes alone while he was examining the bones and stung his finger on something. He was bleeding and Brennan set off the alarm. While they were just starting to clean his finger under water Cam came hurrying out of her lab.

„For God's sakes, what the hell good is the CDC if you let this happen?" she asked at Dr. Jacobs, in her mind the one responsible for this accident. She felt panic rising up inside of her, a feeling she was not familiar with. She wasn't someone to panic easily. As if the threat of bio terrorism wasn't enough now Arastoo could be next victim.

„It's not his fault. We followed all the cut me," Arastoo told her and sounded just as upset- understandably. he knew however that a panicking Cam was never good.

„This is the cause.I found it embedded in the desiccated tissue on the victim's humerus," Brennan hurried back to them and showed them a very small metal object.

„Which victim? There seem to be two now," Cam asked wild eyed.

„Cam," Arastoo just said, knowing that her being angry and panicking wouldn't help anyone.

„I-I'm sorry", she apologized but didn't feel any calmer.

„What is it?" Jacobs asked.

„It's the tip of a micro needle. I found it when I was reexamining the humerus on Mia's MRI," Brennan let them all know.

„That's how she was infected," the CDC official knew. „The gauge is so small, she probably didn't even feel it," by now Brennan was looking at it under the microscope.

„While you culture that, we'll get Arastoo to the hospital," Cam told her colleagues.

„Why? To get a tetanus shot? We don't even know what's in me or how to treat it," again it was Arastoo who contradicted her, right there in front of the was his own panic speaking because he knew as well as all the others that there was a very strong chance he was already infected by an unknown virus that most likely there were no treatments for. He hadn't planned on dying that day.

„And his immune system would be compromised. He could get a lethal secondary infection at the hospital," Brennan was on his side. Of course they were both right and deep down Cam knew, but only the thought that Arastoo had infected himself and that even the hospital couldn't help… she didn't even want to think about it.

„And I could potentially infect other people," he worried still thinking of others.

„So we just let you die like Mia Garrett?" Cam was yelling directly at Arastoo, just as he had only talked to her. For her it wasn't important at this point what the others thought.

„ use me," Arastoo told her while looking her in the eyes. She couldn't believe this and for a second couldn't find the words to reply to that.

"The Jeffersonian has all the equipment we'd find at a hospital," Jacobs added to their conversation.

„If I get sick, you can study my symptoms. It's the best way to discover what illness we're dealing with," Arastoo went on. If he was going to die then at least his death would have some purpose.

„He's right, Cam," Brennan agreed and it was suddenly three against one.

„This is now bigger than one man, Dr. Saroyan," Jacobs said.

„Not to me," she fired back with fury in her eyes and a new wave of panic overcoming her.

„You don't mean that, Cam," Arastoo told her and sounded strangely calm. „I could be the key," he added and Cam understood that he was right, but…. „You know this is what has to be done," Arastoo said insistently and while she looked at him she realized that he was right and there was no other way. Even if she would lose him.

„Is there a room where he can be isolated and observed?" Jacobs asked her, knowing that Arastoo had convinced her.

„Guys, I need the bone room cleared and secured," she turned to the other people working at the lab. „Get a hospital bed, cardiac monitors, a ventilator, defibrillator, nasogastric tubes and equipment for peritoneal dialysis," she listed and in the end her voice started to shake as the tears were welling up as she thought about what all that equipment would be used for- and for whom. Then she turned back around to her two colleagues and Arastoo.

„How long do you think they need to set this up?" Jacobs asked her.

„Not more than a few minutes," she said and took another deep breath to keep the tears at bay.

„I'm going to go and call Booth and let him know about the new developments," Brennan said and left.

„I have to go and raise the security level," the CDC guy hurried off as well. Cam looked at Arastoo who was standing right in front of her. All she wanted to do was hug him and never let him go, but she just couldn't. She needed to be professional otherwise she would break down right then and there and cry for the rest of the day without being of any use to anyone.

„You should go and get changed. We need to take a bone marrow test of you as well and then you can go and lie down," she said without looking him in the eyes.

„Cam, I…" he started and took a step towards her, but she interrupted him. Professional, she needed to be professional.

„Later ok? I need to go and set up everything for the test," Cam said and hurried off before he could worm himself through her very shaky barriers and make her crumble. She hoped there would be a ‚later'.

* * *

Cam took the bone marrow sample herself but didn't go back to Arastoo while they were waiting for the results to come back. For over an hour she hid in her office and worked on old files and reports. Every time the thought of him being sick and the possibility that he could die came to her mind she pushed it back and worked even harder. She just couldn't deal.

Once the results were back and it was confirmed that Arastoo was indeed infected, they also saw how rapidly this was progressing. When they made it back to him his joints had started swelling and the fever was rising.

„102.3" Cam said while she was checking Arastoos vitals.

„It's only been an hour forty-seven minutes since contact", Jacobs summer up what they all knew. This was progressing fast.

„Do you need any additional blood work?" Arastoo asked him. He was feeling like a lab rat already with someone pricking and testing him every five minutes.

„In 20 minutes," he replied and turned back around to take some more notes.

„I'll be taking another bone scan, ," Brennan let him know. Arastoo turned his head towards Cam, who was standing to his right, and wanted to look at her. He wanted to signalize her that everything would be all right and that he loved her. But when his eyes met hers she quickly looked down to the IV she was setting up. „Since we have a baseline for you, it'll tell us the exact speed with which the virus is spreading," Brennan went on meanwhile.

„So you can tell how much time I have left?" he asked and that got a response from Cam.

„No, the serum's on its way from the CDC," she told him. „You're gonna be fine." He wanted to argue with her and tell her that she didn't know that, but then Jacobs asked him another question.

„How do your joints and extremities feel?"

„They're becoming painful. It's more difficult to move," Arastoo replied truthfully and groaned in pain when Jacobs squeezed his left elbow.

„On a scale of one to ten, how much did that hurt?" he asked.

„Seven," he said and missed the pinned look on Cams face because he was still looking at Jacobs.

„Okay, if everyone can stand back, please? , just lie still," Brennan interrupted and they all had to move away from the bed. Once the first pictures appeared on the screen Cam couldn't stop herself from asking.

„Based on the progression you're seeing, do you think the serum will work?"

„It's all we have," Jacobs replied and Cam swallowed down the tears. She just couldn't break down now.

„Logic would dictate that whoever injected Mia with the virus has to possess an antidote. Someone purposely altered the genetic makeup of CHIKV, and then used it to infect Mia Garrett. That person wanted to control the virus," Brennan said once she was done with the scan and Cam suspected also to calm her a bit.

„Which means having a guarantee they wouldn't be a victim of their own handiwork," Jacobs said.

„Exactly. An antidote specific to the mutated virus," Brennan agreed.

„So the key to saving Arastoo's life is finding Mia's killer," Cam said out loud and knew what she would be working on as hard as she could. Because she just couldn't lose Arastoo.

* * *

„My temp has risen another degree," Arastoo said only half an hour later. He was pale and sweaty and didn't look good at all. Cam had stopped by to monitor his symptoms and because there was nothing else she could do. Finding Mia's killer was in the hands of her colleagues and Booth right now.

„Okay, we need to reduce the fever," she said matter of factly and turned around to him.

„The fever could be fighting the infection," Arastoo replied and was surprised when she squeezed his shoulder quickly.

„No. It's spiking too 're burning up," she disagreed and went to prepare the injection.

„Couldn't you give me a Popsicle or something?" he tried to joke although he didn't feel like it.

„Ah, a smart-ass. I'll take that as a good sign," she replied. „But you're getting more IV antipyretics." she opened the IV port and injected him with the medicine while he sank back against the bed. The last time he had been sick Cam had looked after him as well, but that had been different. She had made chicken broth while he had stayed on the couch only to snuggle up to her later when he was feeling cold. With her tender loving care he had been up and about in just two days. This was different. She wasn't tender and she wasn't loving. She was all business and it was hard for him to stand it. He knew her well however and knew she was seconds away from losing it out of worry for him. The more professional she was in a situation like this the more he must mean to her and so for the time being he decided to play along and let her deal with it in her own way. There was still hope, after all.

That hope was gone however after they give his the antiserum and he nearly had a seizure. Cam managed to get his heart rate down, but when she saw him shaking on the bed she knew that these could be her last moments with him.

„Stay with me, Arastoo, stay with me," she told him while he calmed down and caressed his face with her gloved hands. „Oh my god, my god," she muttered tonelessly while she held him this way and the enormity of it all crashed around her once and for all.

* * *

„Arastoo, we're inducing protective hypothermia," Jacobs said once Arastoo was awake again.

„We're also putting a catheter in your femoral artery to introduce a cold saline infusion," Cam told him and the tone of her voice was more gentle, more like explaining it to a child than the cold, confrontal tone of earlier. It must be really bad if Cam dropped her act and let feelings show in front of a stranger while she was working.

„It'll decrease cellular metabolism, and it'll buy us a little bit of time to figure out what our other treatment options are", Jacobs added.

„And I will be giving you some lorazepam and methohexital to let you sleep," Cam went on while she put the oxygen tube on him as gently as she could, „'Cause this is gonna be painful."

Arastoo felt too weak to speak at this point and he hated that he hadn't insisted on talking to her alone before. If these were his last moments awake there was so much he had to tell her, but he just couldn't. So he took her hand and kissed it softly, his own way of saying goodbye to the woman he loved. Cam gave him a shaky smile in return and stroked his hair out of his face. He looked at her face once he started feeling drowsy and his last clear thought was that at least the last thing he saw on this earth was the woman he loved.

„How long does he have?" Cam asked Jacobs once Arastoo was asleep, with a choked voice.

„Based on the bone scan did and the amount of time it took for Mia Garrett's symptoms to manifest I'd say four hours at most. I'm sorry," he replied.

Cam fought down her tears once more, the fact that Arastoo would die slowly settling in. At first she thought she couldn't control herself anymore, but then she managed somehow. She held his hand and stroked over his sweaty hair, because that was all she could do.

She stayed by his side now and didn't leave. If four hours were all she had left with him, she would take it. His state was deteriorating quickly, but when Hodgins and Brennan came in with some distillation there was no question for her- they would try this, even against Dr. Jacobs wishes.

After the injection the symptoms progressed more slowly, but they progressed anyway. Arastoo would die.

„This fall, we are gonna drive through New England and see the leaves turn," she said later while she dapped his forehead with a cold towel and stroked his hair off his forehead. He was ghostly white by then and the dark circles around his eyes combines with the ashen color of his lips showed only too clearly how bad it was. „I know this great Inn that you would love. And you can teach me how to make your abgoosht," she went on talking about future plans that would never come true. Arastoo was unconscious and would never wake up again. He couldn't reply, couldn't tell her his opinion about her plans, couldn't tell her that he'd love to do that. Or tell her that they couldn't find the time anyway because she was always working and canceling their plans.

„I am so sorry that I was too busy last weekend," she told him and started to cry. Why had she always put work in front of everything else? Why hadn't she just pushed back the release of that damn paper or taken a few days off to travel with him?

„You are gonna get through this, Arastoo," she sniffed. „You will," she added because she needed to convince herself. Then she could show him how much he meant to her and how much their relationship meant to her. She didn't want him to die and think that work was more important to his girlfriend than he was. Never had she felt it more clearly that that wasn't true than right at that moment. Tears clouded her vision as she looked at him and felt his hot skin under her gloved hand. She took it away and tried to keep herself from breaking down completely when she found Hodgins standing in the doorway. She wasn't sure how much he had seen or heard, but it didn't really matter. Nothing mattered anymore other than Arastoo.

„Do you need anything?" Hodgins asked her with a serious and sad expression.

She sighed before replying ." You and already gave us a little extra time."

„His vitals are dropping?" Hodgins asked, but it was more of a statement. She could only nod, couldn't speak because tears were choking her again. Hodgins left again and she was alone with Arastoo once more, spending the short time they had left together.

* * *

When Booth brought in the one responsible for all this heartache and he lawyered up she didn't care anymore that she was begging.

„Please! Please! His name is Arastoo Vaziri, and he's a good man," she told him and didn't see any kind of remorse in his eyes. „A generous man, and I…" she paused and took Arastoo's hand in hers. She had never said it before, not to him or in front of anyone, but right now she was both sure that it was true and also that it needed to be said. „I love him, and you know that this is not He-he's done nothing to deserve this. You know that. What if this was someone you love? Would you let them die? Like this?" she started sobbing, because she had just voiced the exact truth of what was happening to her. The man she loved was dying and there was nothing that she could do. „Please help him," she cried and begged.

„I want my lawyer," was all the guy said and in that moment she lost all hope again. This was the man who would kill Arastoo. Booth reacted with aggression, but Brennan stopped him.

„Booth, that's not going to help. I can talk to him," she said, but Cam didn't really pay attention to what came next. She watched the scene unfold while she clung to Arastoo's hand. It didn't register with her what Brennan said. What she noticed however was when Brennan took a syringe and plunged it into the guys neck.

"What have you done?" he asked her and looked shocked.

„I think it's pretty clear what I have done. Now will you tell us where the antiserum is?" Brennan just asked and Cam couldn't believe her ears when he really told them that the antiserum was in the trunk of his car.

She didn't leave Arastoo's side while they waited for the medicine to get there and then injected him herself. It took about twenty minutes until the fever slowly began to sink and his vitals started to get better. After an hour he finally woke up, even though he was groaning in pain.

„Hey you," Cam said tearfully when he opened his eyes and looked at her while she was sitting next to his bed holding his hand. Angela and Hodgins who had been staying with her quietly left the room to give them some privacy.

Arastoo tried to reply, but he couldn't. Everything was hurting and his head felt fuzzy.

„You'll feel better in no time. The anti-serum is working," she told him and felt sorry, because she couldn't give him anything against the pain at this point. „Your fever is going down and the swelling in your joints is reducing," she said quietly and loosened the grip on his hand, knowing it was most likely hurting him. When he thought however that she was taking her hand away he caught it and tightened his grip, groaning out in pain a second later.

„Hey, don't overdo it. I'm not leaving your side, ok?" Cam said with a watery smile.

„Doostet daram," he croaked out and his eyes fell shut out of sheer exhaustion.

„Yes, you go back to sleep. I'm right here," she promised and started stroking over his hair again, this time without gloves on her hands. His hair was still slick with cold sweat and she knew that once he was feeling better he would insist on a shower. She didn't care though. All that mattered was that he lived.

It was several hours later when he was finally settled in the hospital. They had needed to wait until his vitals had been good enough to transport him and she hadn't left his side just as promised, not even in the ambulance. Arastoo had slept most of the time and had only woken up when the paramedics had lifted him onto the gurney.

„You want something to drink?" she asked him when she finally stopped for a second. She had been running around the hospital room getting blankets and pillows as well as talking to the doctors and hospital staff.

„Yes," he whispered hoarsely. Cam picked up a cup with water and he drank it slowly as she held the cup to his lips.

„You're hungry?" I could see if they have some soup," she wanted to know.

„No," he replied and shook his head. „Come here," he said then and pulled her closer by her hand. Cam put the cup on the table and gave into his request by sitting down on his bedside. He looked at her as if he needed to burn her picture onto his mind.

„Don't ever do that again. You hear me," she told him then and the busy demeanor from before crumbled completely as she started to cry. She tried to wipe the tears away with her free hand, but they were falling faster now than she could wipe them off. Arastoo felt them dropping onto his naked chest and just pulled her down onto him. He expected it to hurt when her weight came to rest on him, but it didn't. The pain meds they had given him seemed to work already or he was just getting better very quickly. He managed to wrap his arms around her without ripping out any of the IV or monitoring cables and tubes. With her head resting on his chest and his heart beating against her skin Cam broke down completely and all the panic, anger and fear of the day came pouring out of her in hot tears.

„I was so scared. You were getting worse and worse and there was nothing I could do. I kept thinking of all the things we still wanted to do together and everything I still wanted to tell you, but we had only a few hours left and you weren't even conscious anymore," she sobbed.

„Tell me now," he managed to say with some effort. When she lifted her head a bit she could see that he was even smiling a little. She kissed his cheek softly, sat back up and wiped the tears away as good as she could.

„I'm sorry for canceling so many of our dates and especially this weekend. I knew how much it meant to you, but I chose work anyway, even when I knew I shouldn't and… I'm really sorry," she told him and looked him in the eyes the whole time even though it was hard for her to do that.

„It's ok," he gave her the quick absolution, but she didn't want it.

„No, it's not. You have always been really honest and open about wanting to spend time with me and about how you feel. But this is hard for me," she went on and had to look down to their joined hands. This was going to be the hard part. „I have never been in a relationship with someone I worked this closely with. Especially not someone I was….," she stopped and thought a moment how to say what she wanted to say. „ I tried keeping you at arms length and canceling on you because of work was the easy thing to do. Because I… I love you, Arastoo. I'm so in love with you that it's scaring the crap out of me," she finally admitted. She looked up at him when she felt him softly squeezing her hand.

„I wasn't always honest with you either," he said and had to clear his throat before he could go on. „To be completely honest, I lied to you right from the start, before we even dated," he admitted, but the small smile he wore let her know that it couldn't be that bad.

„You mean the accent?" she asked him with a smile of her own, because that was the only lie she could remember.

„No," he shook his head. „You remember what ‚doostet daram' means?" he asked.

„Of course," she laughed surprised. „That was the first Persian expression you taught me long before we started dating. It means ‚good night'."

„It's not true," Arastoo replied, his voice still husky and quiet, but insistent.

„What is not true?" she was truly confused now.

„Shab bekheir means good night," he said ans paused when she looked even more confused. „Doostet daram means ‚I love you'," he finally said and saw the realization sinking in when her eyes widened even more.

„But… you send me that in a text message two years ago," she stuttered after long moments of silence.

„I sent you ‚good night' as a distraction to end the conversation. I couldn't admit that I had send you a declaration of love because I was thinking of you all the time and lost my mind there for a second," he explained the situation with the text message as best as he could with as few words as possible. Cam still looked like she would freak out any second and his heart rate went up when he thought that she would leave. Cam was skittish sometimes and when she couldn't handle a situation she put her walls up. Right now that would mean she would leave. She looked at the monitor that revealed his elevated heart rate and then back down at him before she took a deep, calming breath and stroked her fingers over his cheek and forehead.

„You're completely crazy," she grinned. „but I love you, too." They smiled at each other before Arastoo pulled her down for a gentle kiss. A second in he pushed her away though.

„Oh god, is that save? I don't want you to get sick," he panicked.

„Everything's alright," Cam laughed, pecked his lips once more and sat back up. „You want something to eat now?" she repeated her earlier question.

„No, I'm too tired to eat," he replied.

„Then go to sleep. I'll be right here when you wake up," she promised him.

„Mmh, ‚kay," he mumbled and closed his eyes. „Good night," he added already half asleep.

„Doostet daram," Cam whispered in his ear, changing their usual exchange. Maybe the virus had been good for something after-all, Arastoo thought.

With a smile on his face he went back to sleep, knowing that he had finally torn down all the barriers around Cam's very well protected heart.

**The end**

**I decided to end this story here- as I had originally planned it. The idea for this ending was in my head ever since I wrote the first scene. Maybe, depending on when I find my muse again there might be a sequel or another story. I love this couple and I hope they'll bring them back on the show.**

**Maybe someone feels inspired to write a story about them as well. I'd love to read it!**

**Thank you for reading, even though I was working without a beta and always find mistakes when I am reading over the story. If I can find the time I might beat it myself one day.**


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